The Dominican government highlighted the strategic conditions the country possesses to boost competitiveness and regional development as part of its commitment to cooperation and the growth of Central American countries.
The proposal was made by the Ministers of Finance and Economy, Magín Díaz, and of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs (MICM), Yayo Sanz Lovatón, who participated in the Ministerial Dialogue: connectivity and integration for a more competitive region, organized by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in Panama City.
When making the proposal, both officials recognized not only the country’s privileged geographical location but also the legal certainty, concrete public policies, high air and maritime connectivity, as well as the economic and social dynamism with a gross domestic product that grew 4.5% during the first half of the year, which is above the regional average.
Both Díaz and Sanz Lovatón spoke in the presence of ministers, high-ranking authorities, business leaders, and representatives of international organizations who gathered at the event held this August 11 and 12, 2026.
As part of her agenda, Díaz spoke at the first session of the meeting, “A regional agenda to strengthen connectivity, logistics, and trade facilitation.”
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“We have what few countries in the world have, which is a privileged geographical position, and in this era of nearshoring, having the United States so close, I believe that Central America and the Dominican Republic are key to benefiting from that reality and being able to trade in a world of constant uncertainty and change,” he pointed out.
For his part, the MICM minister explained that the region must move from sequential controls toward borders that manage risks, share information, and facilitate legitimate trade.
“The Dominican Republic is ready to contribute to the regional agenda being proposed at this important meeting; we are interested in advancing towards a regional logistics integration that is interoperable, multimodal, and results-oriented,” added Sanz Lovatón.
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Furthermore, during their interventions, economic priorities were identified to turn connectivity, logistics, and trade facilitation into engines of growth, competitiveness, and investment for the countries of the region.
The meeting is part of América en el Centro, a regional development program that brings together Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic around common and cross-border challenges, with the purpose of promoting a more integrated, productive, and resilient region. The initiative seeks to strengthen regional infrastructure, facilitate participation in global value chains, promote investment, and improve energy and logistics connectivity.
One of the central pillars of America in the Center is the strengthening of sustainable regional infrastructure, through the modernization of logistics corridors, the improvement of energy connectivity, and the facilitation of cross-border trade. These actions seek to improve access to markets, attract investment, increase productivity, and favor the incorporation of the region’s countries into global value chains.
