The Dominican Republic’s foreign policy with its neighbor to the West is simple: “We cannot get tired of Haiti”. The Dominican foreign minister warned about this before indicating that the international community could do so, but never the Dominican Republic.

“The international community may get tired, but we have no alternative,” he says.

On January 10, the heads of the two countries met at the border and issued a nine-point declaration covering irregular migration flows and issues such as trade, maritime borders and health.

In response to these ideas, Roberto Alvarez says, they have developed two lunches, led by the President of the Republic, Luis Abinader, with only 11 to 12 ambassadors to discuss aid to Haiti.

The Dominican Republic is studying the possibility of contributing with Haiti to the energy issue. “We have the potential to sell food. We can cooperate on the issue of gas for cooking, today 65% ​​of people in Haiti use firewood or charcoal for cooking. We were in that position 60 years ago and with public policies we were able to get out,” says the foreign minister.

Foreign Minister Alvarez explains that in addition to the progress made on these issues, the country is working towards “coherence” on the Haiti case.

Looking there, a “Haitian Cabinet” has been created within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the coordination of Minister Alvarez himself. The idea is that all mirex offices that deal with issues related to the neighboring country meet every week to achieve governmental “cohesion” at the local level.

The plan aims to develop policy coherence with Haiti, so that the Dominican Republic has a continuous and permanent state policy. The foreign minister said, “The change of government in Haiti does not affect, meaning that we can adapt without trying to start over every time there is a change in Haiti.”

Another important point being worked on is the identification of true Dominican interests in Haiti. What influences do we have in relation to Haiti? We define them clearly because this is clearly necessary … We have to be clear about the Dominican national interest, “he said.

Haiti is experiencing another episode in the cycle of social and political crisis, which keeps Juvenil Moise’s government and the political opposition at odds, who question the moment the president should leave power.

Some opponents believe that Moise’s mandate ends in February this year, while the Haitian head of state defends it a year later, in February, but in 2022.

The current government has drawn up a calendar indicating the transition approved by the Dominican Republic: an April referendum on the new political constitution; The first electoral round is in September and the second round in November, with the handover of power in February.

Refugees

The contingency plan for mass flows of migrants in the Dominican Republic is not recognized by President Louis Abenadir’s administration as a document with binding force in the country.

“The president authorized me to say that this is a document that this government considers invalid and no binding force.” “It’s that simple,” the foreign minister said in an interview with Listin Diario.

Alvarez said it was a document prepared during the administration of former President Danilo Medina, which was not known by the National Board of Immigration. There is no decision on that. This document has no binding force in this country, “he said.

The Chancellor also indicated that it is not among the government’s plans to set any refugee policy in the camps, “or anything like that.”

“It is not among the plans to set any policy for refugees or camps or anything like that. It is not included in the plans. He insisted that the government considers that this document has no legal force.”