Critical Minerals Deal: The Dominican Republic and the U.S. signed a cooperation framework to expand work on extracting, processing, and developing critical minerals and rare earths—aiming to strengthen supply chains and attract investment. Semiconductor Push: President Abinader backed PUCMM’s plan for a shared semiconductor lab after the university developed its first microchip, with international partners supporting design, manufacturing, and validation. Business Growth & Trade: Abinader inaugurated HUB Cámara Santo Domingo 2026, highlighting nearly 18,000 new companies in early 2026 and stronger exports; AWS also announced 50,000 free AI/cloud scholarships through 2028. Faster Company Setup: The government launched “Empresas en 24 Horas,” a single-window platform to incorporate businesses in 24 hours via ONAPI, the Chamber/Registro Mercantil, and DGII. Finance for Production: Banreservas said it has RD$7 billion available to finance productive sectors, reporting heavy disbursements to construction, agriculture, commerce, and manufacturing. Cocoa Sector Spotlight: Inposdom issued a commemorative stamp for the Cocoa Commission’s 50th anniversary, celebrating decades of support for exports and jobs. Tourism Tax Impact: Tourism-related tax revenue inched from about RD$15B to over RD$45B in 2025, with tourism’s wider GDP impact reaching 15.9%. Urban Redevelopment: A bill proposes creating CITELF to transform Ensanche La Fe through a public-private model, including an MLB-spec stadium.