SANTIAGO. President Luis Abinader warned this morning that the sacrifice made by the Dominican Republic for Haiti exceeds the possibilities of assimilation.
In his keynote speech at the 56th. meeting of Heads of State and Government of the Central American Integration System (SICA), he said that the international community has an obligation to come to the aid of that country.
The president defined the situation in Haiti as an extremely important issue for the Dominican Republic.
Abinader called the attention of this conclave to raise awareness that the sacrifice that the Dominican Republic makes with the excess of irregular immigrants exceeds its possibilities of assimilation.
He said that the international community has the obligation to come to the aid of Haiti to overcome the suffering that this people endures and, above all, that his government can assume a higher level of responsibility towards the recipient countries.
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He argued that the neighboring nation has recently seen its political and social stability deteriorate, unleashing waves of emigration, in most cases irregular and disorderly, the first destination being the Dominican Republic and even other countries in the SICA region.
The Head of State recognized that there has been a general increase in migration throughout the world, a reality that has a strong impact on the region, since it is also true that SOUTH-SOUTH migration does not stop growing.
“It is imperative that from SICA and in each of the organizations where we have spaces for dialogue, we work seriously to achieve a better ordering of the movements of people, because although we are aware that they are produced by structural factors typical of the scarce development of our economies, it is also true that it is the obligation of each government to assume the levels of commitment that corresponds to them, especially if they are issuers”, he indicated.
He said that this year integration has been harassed from various angles: the continuing effects of the health crisis, the powerful climatic phenomena that have hit our region and the disastrous consequences of the war.
“All this has impacted the daily life of our peoples and has left profound effects that we are forced to overcome,” he said. Abinader.
He indicated that one of those effects has been the disruption of global supply chains.
He stated that he was convinced of the need to diversify the sources of raw materials and even manufactured products, and considered that the best direction in which we can go is inwards.
“We strengthen the ancestral ties between our peoples, both in Central America, the Caribbean, and the rest of Latin America, in cultural, family, political, commercial, and more.
Hence my satisfaction with the holding of the ministerial meeting between SICA and the Andean Community on November 8th. Our respective integration mechanisms have been in operation for a long time, implementing measures and projects, acquiring successful experiences, the exchange of which will result in very tangible benefits for our peoples.
We recognize that the institutional framework of Central American integration was established in a very different global context, and today it is necessary to make a deep analysis of its successes and weaknesses, in order to provide added value through existing mechanisms. that our citizens deserve,” he said.
Abinader said that when the Dominican Republic assumed the Pro Tempore presidency of SICA, the motto “adapt integration to new challenges” was adopted.
He specified that the adaptation has been reflected in the process of reflection on the institutions of our system, which, I am convinced, will be very successful. “Integration” has gained a new dimension from the rapprochement with the Andean Community of Nations, together with which we will be in a better position to assume the new challenges.
“With this legacy, we will formally deliver the SICA PPT to our brothers in Belize, in whom we are fully confident to continue compliance with the principles and purposes of our integration system, for which they can count on our full support in the future. compliance with the new tasks that they will assume from this moment on”
The Dominican president opened the 56th meeting of heads of state and government of the nations of the Central American Integration System (SICA) at night, during an act that was attended by his counterpart from Costa Rica, Rodrigo Chaves Robles, as well as foreign ministers and heads of delegations of member countries.
Abinader delivered in his opening speech, highlighted the progress and achievements of the integration system within the framework of the Pro Tempore Presidency (PPT) before the organization and pondered its importance for the development of the subregion.
By Amable Grullón and Pedro Castro
