The Presidents of Costa Rica, Panama and the Dominican Republic raised their voices together in Puerto Plata to call for development through democracy. Stepping out from the previous Central American Integration System summits scheme, President Carlos Alvarado Quesada of Costa Rica, Laurentino Cortizo Cohen of Panama and President Luis Abinader of the Dominican Republic met for the third time under the new umbrella of the three-country Alliance for Development in Democracy.
At the Puerto Plata summit the Presidents said they are meeting to raise the quality of life of their people. This time, in addition to the key political and security issues in Central America and Haiti, the statesmen promoted joint agreements involving the private sector.
“Businessmen from our three countries have met and have agreed to promote trade and joint agreements, especially those that have to do with cutting-edge technology, pharmaceutical companies and technology,” said President Abinader.
To these areas, he added, are also added important alliances in health, trade, tourism, logistics, and environment. Costa Rica and Panama have great models of development, said President Abinader in making the announcement.
President Abinader stressed that they see democracy as the best system under which progress and develop in peace can deliver quality of life.
Regarding the agreements, Laurentino Cortizo Cohen, President of Panama, highlighted the great benefit of the union of these nations to positively impact the lives of their citizens.
“Three sister governments and the private sector are joining forces to undertake an important task: to generate jobs for our people.”
This joint intention to generate jobs reinforces one of the main economic goals of the Dominican government presided by Luis Abinader.
The President of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado Quesada, said that this Alliance has proven to be visionary and avant-garde, while demonstrating the choice of these countries to renew democracy and guarantee well-being.
Alvarado Quesada referred to the closing words of the democratic summit convened by the President of the United States, Joe Biden, who advocated for democracy as the system of government that is the best option to move forward, protect citizens, generate employment and economic development. The virtual meeting promoted by the US President coincided with the meeting in Puerto Plata of the three regional presidents. The United States has expressed concern over authoritarian developments of late regarding President Nayib Bukele in El Salvador and the Nicaragua elections that ensure the Ortega regime’s continuation.
The presidents of Costa Rica, Panama and Dominican Republic also pointed out that another of the points of the agreement is the reconfirmation of the call for the attention of countries such as the United States and the European Union for the peace in Haiti and a future development plan for the neighboring nation.
The statesmen called for attention to Nicaragua, “where we have called for the release of its political prisoners”, concluded the Costa Rican president.
The statesmen congratulated Honduras President-elect Xiomara Castro de Zelaya. The statesmen agreed to next meet in the first quarter of 2022 in Costa Rica.
The Joint Declaration was offered at La Puntilla Park, located on the Malecon of Puerto Plata.
With a combined population of about 20 million, the Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and Panama represent a major commercial partnership with the United States. In fact, if they were one country, they would be the third most important trading partner of the US from Latin America. As a result, the efforts to strengthen democracy, human rights, and economic cooperation are very important to the overall development of the region and ensure close ties to the US.
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13 December 2021