The Ministry of Industry & Commerce and Small Business (MICM), Police and bamboo-related sectors stand to lose big with the severing of diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Several projects were under way with Taiwan cooperation.<\/p>\n
Taiwan was financing a US$4 million program for small business. The agreement had been signed by the Ministry of Industry & Commerce and the Fund for Agricultural Development (Feda) and the Embassy of Taiwan in July 2017. The program was being implemented from 2017-2021. Taiwan was contributing US$3 million and the Dominican government US$1 million.<\/p>\n
Taiwan also had underway an important project to foster bamboo plantations and industrialization in the country through the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF). A technical mission from Taiwan had visited the recently completed manufacturing center in San Isidro, Bonao (ProBambu). The center was part of efforts to plant, process, design and market bamboo projects.<\/p>\n
The National Police under director general Ney Aldrin Bautista Almonte also had benefited from police cooperation project to fight transnational crime and improve citizen safety.<\/p>\n
The 911 Emergency Program also received major financial boost from Taiwan.<\/p>\n
News reports estimated that Taiwan assistance had reached US$169 million, as of August 2017, and helped create 3,000 jobs. The Dominican Republic was the country with the most investment in the Caribbean and Central American region.<\/p>\n
An editorial in El Dia observes that the ambassador of Taiwan was told about the ending of relations only one hour before the official announcement. And the notification was made in a city restaurant and not formally by the Ministry of Foreign Relations.<\/p>\n
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