Santo Domingo. – President Luis Abinader, accompanied by the First Lady, Raquel Arbaje, participated this Monday in the celebration of France’s National Day, also known as Bastille Day, a date that every July 14th commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789, an event that marked the beginning of the French Revolution and the end of the absolute monarchy.
The president and the first lady were received by the French ambassador to the Dominican Republic, Sonia Barbry. After the official photographs, they held a brief private meeting in which the Vice Minister of Bilateral Foreign Policy, Francisco Caraballo, and the Vice Minister for Consular and Migratory Affairs, Opinio Antonio Díaz, also participated.
During her speech, Ambassador Barbry highlighted the deep friendship that unites France and the Dominican Republic, a relationship sustained by shared values such as liberty, equality, fraternity, the defense of international law, the sovereignty of States, and dialogue between nations.
Likewise, he highlighted the presence of more than 6,000 Dominicans residing in France and recalled that President Abinader’s recent official visit to Paris allowed for strengthening trust between both governments and reaffirming the willingness to continue working together.
Barbry also emphasized that France has funded strategic projects for more than two decades that impact the quality of life of millions of Dominicans. He indicated that, through the French Development Agency (AFD), more than US$1.5 billion has been mobilized for urban transport, drinking water, sanitation, energy, and territorial development initiatives, with the projection of signing a new bilateral cooperation roadmap.
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In addition, he valued the close collaboration in the fight against drug trafficking, highlighting the joint work with the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD), and announced the construction of a Regional Training Academy against Drug Trafficking, which will contribute to the training of specialists in the region.
The ambassador also highlighted the cultural, scientific, and educational cooperation between both nations, which includes the training of French teachers, scientific research projects, support for the arts, and the upcoming signing of a new intergovernmental agreement on educational and cultural cooperation.
On behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Roberto Álvarez, the Vice Minister of Bilateral Foreign Policy, Francisco Caraballo, stated that France and the Dominican Republic continue to consolidate a relationship based on trust, mutual respect, and a shared vision of the future.
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He pointed out that, in recent years, the bilateral bond has been strengthened through a political dialogue that has translated into an increasingly broad cooperation agenda oriented toward addressing common challenges in areas such as development, sustainability, security, the fight against drug trafficking, and regional stability.
Likewise, he expressed that both countries are working for a more solid and humane future, promoting projects that generate well-being for their peoples and reflect the shared will to continue strengthening the bilateral relationship with a strategic sense and mutual respect.
The celebration was attended by members of the diplomatic corps, government officials, business leaders, and special guests.
