AGP Executive Report

Energy Expansion: Energy and Mines Minister Joel Santos says the Dominican Republic is set for its largest energy expansion in decades, with firm installed capacity rising over 50% from 2025-2028 and 1,000 MW of additional renewable generation expected by 2028, as peak demand climbs toward 4,250 MW. Port & Logistics Diplomacy: The Dominican Republic was elected First Vice President of the OAS Inter-American Committee on Ports (CIP), positioning the country to push regional work on sustainability, tech, port-city integration, resilience and logistics. Sports Infrastructure: MIVHED reports nine sports facilities already delivered for Santo Domingo 2026, including aquatic, fencing, weightlifting, archery and gymnastics venues, with monitoring to hit deadlines. Agriculture Cooperation: The DR and Guyana plan to expand mango and avocado production, with Dominican experts set to support training and technical work. Identity & Security Tech: The new Dominican national ID card won “Best Identity Document 2026” in Latin America, highlighting upgrades in secure, digital identity management. Cost of Living: The Central Bank confirmed annualized inflation at 5.35% (May CPI +0.31%), with staples easing while fuel prices rose. Tourism & Hotels: Tourism Minister David Collado says the DR is adding air seats and hotel capacity to sustain growth, citing 95%-98% occupancy and a need for about 30,000 new rooms. Fashion & Luxury Tourism: Casa de Campo launched its first Fashion Week, spotlighting Dominican designers and international talent, reinforcing the DR’s push into high-end lifestyle tourism. Environmental Modernization: The Environment Ministry unveiled the first phase upgrading the Dr. Rafael María Moscoso National Botanical Garden, adding access features, security, and restoration work ahead of future phases.

Luxury & Tourism Branding: Casa de Campo Resort & Villas just wrapped its first Casa de Campo Fashion Week, turning La Romana into a Caribbean fashion hub with runway shows, designer talks, wellness programming, and an international lineup including Custo Barcelona and Dominican creators. Tourism Demand & Capacity: Tourism Minister David Collado says the DR is pushing air connectivity and hotel growth, citing 100,000+ extra airline seats from Canada and the need for about 30,000 new rooms (with 16,000 under construction). Business & Trade Diplomacy: The DR concluded its Dominican Week in Europe (Belgium/Netherlands), advancing ties on investment, exports, the blue economy, energy transition, and agriculture/food security partnerships. Cost of Living Watch: The Central Bank confirmed annualized inflation at 5.35%, with May CPI up 0.31% as staples eased but gasoline rose. Identity & Tech Modernization: The new Dominican national ID was named Best Identity Document 2026 in Latin America, highlighting security features and local tech participation. Environment vs. Mining Claims: Docalsa defended its remediation plan, stressing restoration and revegetation (not new extraction) under Ministry of Environment oversight. Local Governance Pressure: Tireo community leaders protested at the Presidential Palace over unfulfilled 2022 infrastructure promises affecting roads and basic services. Export Competitiveness (Women): NEPC says the WEIDE Fund is training women entrepreneurs to boost digital trade and export readiness, with the DR named among pilot countries. Industrial Security & Automation: Rockwell Automation expanded SecureOT cybersecurity offerings, targeting manufacturers needing faster OT risk management.

Border Security & Development: President Luis Abinader unveiled a new border strategy with Haiti focused on fortifying 391 km of land border, expanding the perimeter fence, and building a binational market in Restauración near Tilory to boost trade and stability. Quality & Industry Competitiveness: ANEIH highlighted the growing “culture of quality” as it defended inflation-mitigation subsidies and announced progress under the National Quality Award for the Private Sector 2026, recognizing 17 firms across micro to large segments. Tourism Growth Plan: Tourism Minister David Collado said DR is pushing air connectivity and hotel capacity, citing +100,000 seats from Canada and the need for about 30,000 new rooms (16,000 under construction) to sustain demand. Economic Stability Talks: Abinader met with commercial, industrial, business, and agricultural sectors to review the national price table and coordinate actions against oil and gas volatility. Renewables & Resilience: Energy Minister Joel Santos projected non-conventional renewable capacity could reach 2,600 MW by 2028, with nearly 2,000 MW already in production and storage projects advancing. Seismic Risk Preparedness: ONESVIE and local authorities in Bahoruco launched “Voices that Prevent” to strengthen building and lifeline preparedness through prevention and civic education. Tourism Recognition: The DR won top Caribbean visitor satisfaction at the WAVE Awards for a third straight year, while Secrets Playa Esmeralda took Best New/Renovated Resort in the Caribbean. Logistics & Tech Ecosystem: Iteris’ BlueTOAD Spectra CV roadside unit received OmniAir certification, supporting interoperable connected-vehicle deployments.

Bilateral Trade & Innovation: The Dominican Republic wrapped its first Dominican Week in Belgium and the Netherlands with an official reception in The Hague, pushing cooperation on investment, exports, the blue economy, sustainability, energy transition, and new academic links with Wageningen University & Research and IHE Delft. Economic Stability: President Luis Abinader met with commercial, industrial, business, and agricultural leaders to review the national price table and coordinate steps to blunt global oil and gas volatility. Logistics & Security: U.S. and Canadian authorities reported major cargo-crime actions, including a case involving cocaine concealed in flatbread shipped from the Dominican Republic. Tourism Wins: The DR was named Caribbean destination with highest visitor satisfaction at the WAVE Awards for a third straight year, while Secrets Playa Esmeralda won Best New/Renovated Resort in the Caribbean. Energy Transition: Energy and Mines Minister Joel Santos said non-conventional renewables could reach 2,600 MW by 2028, with about 2,000 MW already in production and storage projects advancing. Aviation Incident: Two pilots died after a Gulfstream G200 crash during an emergency landing attempt at La Romana International Airport. Agribusiness & Water: TNR and Confenagro signed an agreement to modernize Dominican agriculture, while Rotary-backed efforts continue supporting health and community initiatives.

Energy & Industry Stability: President Luis Abinader met with commercial, industrial, business, and agricultural leaders to track a “price roundtable” and coordinate actions to cushion Dominican consumers from swings in oil, gas, and other external costs. Renewables Push: Energy Minister Joel Santos said non-conventional renewable generation is already near 2,000 MW and could reach about 2,600 MW by 2028, with storage projects (200 MW by end-2026) aimed at system stability. Seismic Preparedness: ONESVIE, Bahoruco authorities, and Neiba officials launched a prevention push, including the “Voices that Prevent” campaign, to reduce building and infrastructure vulnerability. Aviation Safety: Two U.S. pilots died after a Gulfstream G200 crash during an emergency landing attempt at La Romana International Airport; authorities (IDAC/CIAA) opened an investigation. Food & Trade Signals: Abinader reiterated government support for the flour-processing sector to help keep bread prices stable. Tech Workforce: ITLA’s 20th graduation marked a record 642 new professionals, reinforcing the push for specialized training tied to AI-era demand. Sports & Community: COD announced Olympic Day activities for June 21 in Ciudad Juan Bosch, mixing tree planting, mass, and multi-discipline competitions.

Aviation Safety Shock: A US-registered Gulfstream G200 crashed during an emergency landing attempt at La Romana International Airport, killing both pilots; authorities (IDAC/CIAA) opened an investigation as airport operations were halted. Food Industry Support: President Luis Abinader pledged continued government backing to the flour-processing sector to help stabilize Dominican bread costs, citing equipment and technical support for MSMEs. Trade & Compliance Pressure: The U.S. USTR proposed forced-labor Section 301 tariffs affecting 60 economies, with comment deadlines and hearings set—raising export-risk questions for regional suppliers. Business Networking: AMCHAMDR joined leaders at Ecuador’s BFA 2026 summit, focusing on trade, investment, supply-chain resilience, energy security, and AI competitiveness. Tech Workforce Push: ITLA graduated a record 642 professionals, expanding semiconductor and tech tracks as the country ramps up training for AI-era jobs. Pay Equity Systems: CONTONO says salary transparency must be managed as an ongoing HR process, not a one-time report, after more than 20 diagnostics ahead of new rules. Tourism Demand Signal: Canada’s market is strengthening toward the Dominican Republic, with Mitur data showing over 1.1M Canadian visitors in 2025 and growth across key provinces. Infrastructure & Risk Awareness: Engineers warn lightning protection gaps in the DR; experts stress prevention and safer behavior during storms. Regional Industry Talent: Dominican students from PUCMM won a Huawei ICT Competition computing grand prize, highlighting growing local engineering capacity.

Aviation Safety: Two pilots were killed after a US-registered Gulfstream G200 crashed while attempting an emergency landing at La Romana International Airport, with no passengers reported. Tourism & Events: An IOC commission visited Punta Cana to inspect logistics for the 147th IOC session in 2027, including venue checks and coordination with tourism authorities. Public Safety Law: Interior and Police Minister Faride Raful hailed the approval of Law 25-26 creating Alerta RD, requiring joint police and prosecutor activation within 24 hours to locate missing persons. Tech & Education: PUCMM students won the Huawei ICT Global Competition 2025-2026 Grand Prize in Computing, marking a first for Latin America and the Caribbean in that category. Energy & Infrastructure: ETED scheduled preventive maintenance at the 69 kV Los Mina substation, with planned power interruptions across several Santo Domingo Este communities. Tourism Demand: Dominican tourism is gaining momentum with Canada, highlighted during a Montreal roadshow where the DR surpassed 1.1 million Canadian visitors in 2025. Road Safety Policy: Deputies will study a bill to incentivize use of homologated “Safe Helmet RD” for motorcyclists, including tax and import duty exemptions for approved helmets. Governance Watch: Transparency International’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index again places Haiti at the bottom of the Caribbean, with the Dominican Republic among the lowest-ranked in the region. Agribusiness & Food Exports: Gold continues to support Dominican exports and tax revenues in 2026, while Dominican mango exports are set to reach 10 million boxes this year.

Public Safety Law: Interior Minister Faride Raful backed the new Alerta RD law, creating a faster missing-person alert system where activation must be jointly handled by the National Police and the Public Prosecutor within 24 hours. Tech & Education: PUCMM students made history by winning the Huawei ICT Global Competition Grand Prize in Computing, a first for Latin America and the Caribbean, while Huawei’s global event drew 220,000+ participants worldwide. Infrastructure & Power Reliability: ETED scheduled preventive maintenance at the 69 kV Los Mina substation, with planned outages across Santo Domingo Este communities and affected private firms. Road Safety Policy: Deputies will study the “Safe Helmet RD” bill to incentivize homologated motorcycle helmets, including ITBIS/import duty exemptions and possible subsidies for workers like delivery riders. Agriculture Modernization: TNR and Confenagro signed an agreement to train producers and expand technified irrigation, pushing efficient water use and higher productivity. Tourism Demand: Canada’s market is strengthening for the Dominican Republic, with 2025 arrivals topping 1.1 million and Quebec/Ontario driving most of the growth. Lightning Awareness: Engineers warned that Dominican Republic lightning deaths often come from lack of prevention and poor sheltering habits, urging stricter standards and public education.

AI in Education on Dominican TV: Tabuga and Chile’s CENIA are bringing an “AI adoption in education” webinar series to Dominican broadcast TV via T al Cubo®, airing Sundays (June 7, 14, 21, 28) on CDN Channel 37, with chapters on teaching skills and school management as AI moves from basic prep to broader classroom decisions. Road Safety for Motorcyclists: The Chamber of Deputies’ Mobility and Transport Commission will study “Safe Helmet RD,” which would cut ITBIS and import duties for homologated helmets, offer subsidies for lower-income riders, and push adoption targets over a 10-year window. Electricity Reliability in Santo Domingo Este: ETED schedules preventive maintenance at the 69 kV Los Mina substation (10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.), with planned outages across Los Mina and nearby communities, plus impacts for Templatisa and Megacentro. Agriculture Modernization Deal: TNR and Confenagro signed an agreement to train producers and expand technified irrigation, focusing on efficient water use and tech adoption to boost productivity and food security. Mining and Exports Watch: 2026 data points to strong gold-driven export and tax revenue growth, with mining taxes up sharply year-on-year and gold exports rising in the first quarter. U.S. Trade Pressure on Forced Labor: USTR’s proposed Section 301 tariffs (10%–12.5%) target economies failing to block forced-labor imports, with some Dominican-related textile/apparel carve-outs noted. Logistics and Trade Links: Dominican Republic and the Netherlands advanced ties through a business forum in The Hague focused on logistics connectivity, blue economy, and innovation.

Electricity Maintenance in Santo Domingo Este: ETED will shut power from 10:00am to 2:00pm today (June 6) for preventive work at the 69 kV Los Mina substation, affecting Los Mina, Boreal, Los Tres Brazos, Las Enfermeras, Los Platanitos, Mil Flores, Mirador del Ozama, Santo Tomás de Aquino, Riviera del Ozama and San Lorenzo, plus Templatisa and Megacentro. Agriculture Modernization: TNR and Confenagro signed an agreement to train producers and boost technified irrigation, focusing on smarter water use to raise productivity and food security. Energy & Regional Connectivity: InterEnergy outlined its plan to modernize Guyana’s GPL grid through 2030, including smart grid development—highlighting the wider Caribbean energy push. Trade & Supply Chain Pressure: The U.S. proposed Section 301 tariffs tied to forced-labor enforcement, with exemptions that include some CAFTA-DR textile/apparel flows that may touch Dominican exporters. Mining & Exports: Gold continues to drive Dominican export and tax revenue growth in 2026, with mining tax collections surging year-on-year. Investment Promotion: ProDominicana will honor top foreign investors at the Americas Investment Forum 2026 in Santo Domingo, spanning sectors like tourism, energy, agribusiness and construction. Construction Safety Probe: Court-appointed forensic engineers filed findings on the Jet Set nightclub collapse, pointing to long-term structural degradation and post-tensioning wire defects. Local Business & Diplomacy: MICM met with diplomatic and international organizations to expand trade, investment and innovation opportunities. Culture & Media Spotlight: Dominican Republic is featured in Netflix’s “Office Romance,” with local music talent highlighted in the film.

Energy & Infrastructure: InterEnergy outlined a roadmap to modernise Guyana’s GPL grid through 2030, aiming for a more reliable, resilient and digitally managed power system—an energy-sector signal for the wider region. Agriculture Modernisation: Santo Domingo’s TNR and Confenagro signed an agreement to train producers and expand technified irrigation, pushing more efficient water use and higher productivity. Power Safety: Edeeste urged customers to keep children from flying kites near power lines and to avoid using devices while charging in wet conditions. Trade & Exports Risk: The U.S. is moving ahead with Section 301 forced-labor tariff proposals that could raise costs for Dominican exports, especially from free zones. Mining & Revenue: Gold exports and mining activity are driving strong 2026 growth, boosting mining tax collections and export earnings. Construction Safety: Court-appointed forensic engineers linked the April 2025 Jet Set nightclub collapse to internal construction defects and progressive deterioration of post-tensioning systems. Agribusiness Exports: Dominican mango exports are on track for nearly 10 million boxes in 2026, with Expo Mango 2026 highlighting producers, acreage and market expansion. International Business: ProDominicana will recognize top foreign investors at the Americas Investment Forum 2026, spanning sectors from tourism to energy and agribusiness.

Mining & Exports: Gold is driving Dominican Republic export and tax revenue growth in 2026, with Mining and Quarrying up 10.7% Jan–Apr and the mining tax collecting RD$9,135.4M in April alone (+77.4% y/y); gold exports in Q1 hit US$1,045.3M (+113% y/y). Trade Risk (Forced Labor): The U.S. is reviewing whether countries—including the Dominican Republic—do enough to stop forced labor in supply chains, with possible new Section 301 tariffs that could raise costs for major export sectors. Agribusiness: Expo Mango 2026 in Baní says DR is on track for nearly 10 million boxes of mangoes this year, citing 150,000+ acres, 2,100+ producers, and expanding processing/export capacity. Investment Promotion: ProDominicana will honor top foreign investors at the Americas Investment Forum 2026 (July 1), spotlighting FDI impacts across tourism, energy, agribusiness, construction, and more. Construction Safety: Court-appointed forensic engineers say long-term structural degradation and defects in post-tensioning wires caused the April 2025 Jet Set nightclub collapse, with implications for how older buildings are inspected and regulated. Consumer Protection: DR just handed over ICPEN leadership to Georgia after a term focused on stronger cross-border consumer enforcement. Logistics/Trade Infrastructure: DP World announced a US$100M expansion for the Caucedo free zone, boosting logistics capacity. Environment & Water: Communities again raised alarms over contamination and remediation needs tied to the Hatillo Reservoir in Cotuí ahead of World Environment Day.

Forensic Report on Jet Set Collapse: Court-appointed experts say long-term structural degradation and progressive deterioration of the post-tensioning system caused the April 2025 Jet Set nightclub collapse in the Dominican Republic, with no visible damage that could have been caught by inspection. Consumer Protection Leadership: The Dominican Republic handed over the ICPEN presidency to Georgia after a term focused on stronger cross-border consumer enforcement, including digital and e-commerce protections. Aviation & Connectivity: Curaçao’s economic minister met Dominican aviation authorities and airlines to expand air links and position Curaçao as a Caribbean hub for tourism and logistics. Agriculture Cooperation: Guyana and the Dominican Republic agreed to deepen agricultural collaboration, including technology transfer and value-added production strategies. Trade Pressure Watch: The U.S. proposed Section 301 forced-labor tariffs that include the Dominican Republic, placing it in the 12.5% tier, with public comments invited ahead of a July hearing. Tourism & Culture: The Dominican Republic will host the 2026 Dominican Book and Culture Festival in New York (July 10–12), spotlighting literature, arts, entrepreneurship, and diaspora youth engagement.

Aviation & Connectivity: Curaçao’s Economic Development Minister Roderick Middelhof met Dominican aviation officials and airlines to expand air links and position Curaçao as a Caribbean hub for tourism, business travel, and regional logistics. Agriculture Modernization: The Dominican irrigation authority TNR and producers’ confederation Confenagro signed an agreement to train farmers and boost productivity with new technologies, including more efficient water use and technical irrigation systems. Cocoa Industry Upgrade: The Dominican Republic used a Brussels forum to promote premium cocoa and advance its “Dominican Cocoa” Geographical Indication seal, aiming to strengthen origin certification and market value in Europe. Trade Pressure Watch: The U.S. proposed Section 301 tariffs on 60 economies over forced-labor enforcement failures, explicitly listing the Dominican Republic among the targeted countries—raising potential cost risks for import-dependent supply chains. Sports & Infrastructure Planning: A Dominican commission recommended a new MLB-standard stadium in Santo Domingo (20,000–21,000 seats) to replace Quisqueya Juan Marichal for major-league requirements, with a mixed public-private financing model. Prison Mental Health Reform: President Abinader swore in a committee to strengthen mental health care in prisons, including new specialized beds, psychosocial centers, and planned mental-health-focused facilities.

Forced-Labor Trade Pressure: The U.S. Trade Representative proposed Section 301 tariffs on imports from 60 economies over alleged failure to enforce forced-labor import bans, explicitly listing the Dominican Republic among the countries flagged—tariffs are proposed at 10% to 12.5% with a July 7 hearing. Agriculture Modernization: TNR and Confenagro signed a collaboration deal to train producers and push new irrigation technologies, focusing on more efficient water use and sustainable, higher productivity farming. Prison Mental Health Upgrade: President Abinader swore in a committee to strengthen mental health care in prisons, including new specialized beds, psychosocial centers, and plans for mental-health-focused facilities in Azua, La Vega, and San Pedro de Macorís. Cocoa for Europe: The Dominican Republic promoted premium cocoa at a Brussels forum, spotlighting progress on the “Dominican Cocoa” Geographical Indication seal to boost quality, sustainability, and market value. Logistics Expansion: DP World and the Dominican government committed an additional US$100M to expand Caucedo Free Trade Zone warehousing and logistics capacity, building on a US$760M port-and-zone expansion. Tourism & Infrastructure: APORDOM reported cruise growth (to 2.7M passengers in 2025) and expects 32 ship calls in June; Abinader also inaugurated a new 13.5-kilometer highway in Barahona to cut travel times and support local producers. Baseball Stadium Plan: A Dominican commission recommended a new MLB-standard stadium in Santo Domingo’s Ensanche La Fe, proposing a public land contribution with private financing via a mixed corporation.

Trade & Investment Push to Europe: The Dominican Republic used Brussels to pitch Europe-facing deals at the Trade and Investment Forum & Cultural Night, spotlighting agriculture, logistics, tourism, infrastructure and renewable energy as the country targets faster growth and more investment. Logistics Expansion at Caucedo: DP World and the Dominican government announced an extra US$100M for Caucedo Free Trade Zone warehousing and logistics capacity, building on a US$760M port-free zone deal to boost regional distribution. Tourism Momentum: APORDOM says Dominican cruise tourism keeps climbing, from about 1.2M passengers in 2022 to 2.7M in 2025, with 32 ship arrivals expected in June. Bilateral Caribbean Deals: Suriname President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons met Dominican leaders to deepen cooperation across renewable energy, agriculture, tourism, and parliamentary exchange, while Curaçao also explored stronger trade and export links via ProDominicana. Infrastructure for the South: President Abinader inaugurated the Enriquillo–El Higüero highway to cut travel times and support local producers, and also unveiled a major state intervention plan for Boca Chica to reposition it as a logistics and tourism hub. Energy/Industry Tech Tie-Up: C2N Diagnostics and SouthGenetics partnered to expand access to Precivity® blood tests for Alzheimer’s amyloid pathology across the Dominican Republic and the region. Tariff Headwinds (US policy): The Trump administration proposed broad new Section 301 tariffs tied to forced-labor claims, with potential duties up to 12.5% for many trading partners.