{"id":251487,"date":"2026-05-14T06:20:01","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T10:20:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dr1.com\/news\/?p=251487"},"modified":"2026-05-14T09:14:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T13:14:11","slug":"president-abinader-presents-the-dominican-republic-at-the-world-free-zones-congress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dr1.com\/news\/2026\/05\/14\/president-abinader-presents-the-dominican-republic-at-the-world-free-zones-congress\/","title":{"rendered":"President Abinader presents the Dominican Republic at the World Free Zones Congress"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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On Wednesday, 13 May 2026, President Luis Abinader addressed global business leaders, investors and free zone representatives at the 12th World Free Zones Organization Congress held in Panama City. During his keynote, titled \u201cFree Zones of the Dominican Republic: Engine of Productive Transformation and Global Competitiveness,\u201d the President positioned the nation as one of the hemisphere’s most strategic and reliable destinations for global capital, emphasizing the country\u2019s readiness to absorb shifts in the global supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Abinader framed the Dominican Republic\u2019s current economic trajectory as a “transformation in progress.” He noted that in a global landscape defined by the reconfiguration of value chains, the country is not merely resisting external pressures but is actively excelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The President assured investors that the country offers security, predictability, and profitability. “In the Dominican Republic, investing is simple, operating is efficient, and growth is possible,” he stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He emphasized that the government acts as a partner rather than just a host, providing complete investment ecosystems that integrate advanced manufacturing, global services, and the digital economy to mitigate risks and accelerate returns on investment (ROI).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Free zones: The resilient economic pillar
The President provided key data highlighting the sector’s vital role in the national economy. He explained how the sector now employs more than 200,000 in direct jobs and its exports account for more than 60% of the country\u2019s total national exports. A network of over 850 companies operates across industrial parks distributed throughout the national territory. Over the last decade, the diversification of the free zone sector in the country has continued with key sectors now being medical devices, electrical industry, tobacco, logistics and Business Process Outsourcing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abinader noted that the country no longer competes solely on costs but on high-level results, positioning the DR as a leader in industrial scaling and long-term vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The President shared an economic overview and outlook with the audience. He said that cumulative Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has been on the rise with over US$35 billion invested in the country over the last decade. The country reached a historic milestone in 2025, recording more than US$5 billion in FDI. President Abinader said that his administration is prioritizing “quality over quantity,” targeting capital toward future-oriented industries and strategic value sectors such as high-tech assembly and sustainable energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evolution toward “Industry 4.0”
The President explained that the free zone model has evolved from a basic employment-generating scheme to a sophisticated hub for technological transfer, with the country moving into advanced manufacturing and logistics integration. Likewise, the focus areas now include Artificial Intelligence (AI), semiconductors and Industry 4.0. In recent years, the country has transitioned from competing on low labor costs to competing on technical capabilities and integration into complex supply chains. :<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Abinader revealed that major global tech players are deepening their ties with the country. Tech giants Google and NVIDIA are new stakeholders in the Dominican Republic. The President stated that these partnerships validate the Dominican model and project it toward a digital future. He highlighted the development of a spaceport in Pedernales as evidence of a forward-thinking national vision aimed at capturing a share of the emerging global aerospace market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nearshoring and market access
With the shift toward nearshoring, the President highlighted the Dominican Republic is taking advantage of its privileged geographic and commercial position. Through various trade agreements, companies in the DR have preferential access to over 1.2 billion consumers. This allows for efficient reaching of markets in the United States, Europe, Central America, and the Caribbean. The Dominican Republic also has a large domestic market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The President told his audience: “Producing in the Dominican Republic is not just producing well; it is producing with access, efficiency, and global scale.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Legal security and operational efficiency
The President underscored that the country’s legal framework, specifically Foreign Investment Law 8-90, provides a stable environment with clear rules for investors. He said that over the years, the FDI has grown since trust has been built through solid institutions and a firm commitment to legal certainty. Beyond tax incentives, Abinaer cited competitive human talent, specialized training, agile logistics, and seamless public-private coordination as the primary drivers of efficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Closing invitation
Concluding his speech, President Abinader invited the international community to witness the Dominican progress firsthand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The Dominican Republic is not just an economy that grows; it is an economy that knows where it is going\u2026 It is a place where the future has already begun, and we want to build it with you, with Caribbean passion and Dominican conviction.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more in Spanish:
Presidency <\/a>
El Nacional <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

14 March 2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On Wednesday, 13 May 2026, President Luis Abinader addressed global business leaders, investors and free zone representatives at the 12th World Free Zones Organization Congress held in Panama City. During his keynote, titled \u201cFree Zones of the Dominican Republic: Engine of Productive Transformation and Global Competitiveness,\u201d the President positioned the nation as one of the … <\/p>\n

Read more\u2026<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[340,3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dr1.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251487"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dr1.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dr1.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dr1.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dr1.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=251487"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/dr1.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251487\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":251525,"href":"https:\/\/dr1.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251487\/revisions\/251525"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dr1.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=251487"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dr1.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=251487"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dr1.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=251487"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}