President Danilo Medina met with Dominican-Italian businessmen on Monday, 29 September 2014 at the Waldorf Astoria Cavalieri hotel in Rome, Italy. The group included brothers Frank and Fernando Rainieri, and Felipe Vicini. The welcoming speech was made by Renzo Seravalle, president of Casa de Italia in Santo Domingo. Jean Alain Rodriguez, executive director of the Dominican Republic Center for Export and Investment (CEI-RD) spoke on behalf of the government, focusing on the business links between the DR and Italy, which date back 120 years. “We have had diplomatic, cultural and trade relations for more than a century,” he stated. He said that it is evident that the trade relations should be maintained and increased for the benefit of both countries. He said that of US$5 billion in foreign investment received over the past two years, Italian investments totaled approximately US$500 million, or 10%.
The meeting took place at a time when the Italian community in the Dominican Republic is lobbying for the Italian government to revoke its decision to close the Italian Embassy and consulate in the Dominican Republic. The Dominican government would then have to reciprocate by shutting down the Dominican Embassy in Rome.
There is a large Italian community living in the Dominican Republic and thousands of Dominicans have immigrated to Italy. Italy is also a major source market for tourists to the Dominican Republic.
http://presidencia.gob.do/noticias/danilo-medina-se-reune-con-empresarios-italianos-y-dominicanos-en-roma