SANTO DOMINGO.- The Dominican Republic and the United States signed this Friday in Santo Domingo the agreement Open skies, an agreement that, after more than 25 years of negotiations, will allow greater connectivity, with more flights and more competitive prices.
At the National Palace, the US Undersecretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and Environment, José Fernández, and the Dominican Minister of Tourism, David Collado, signed the agreement in the presence of the president of the Caribbean country, Luis Abinader, and part of his government, as well as representatives of the US Administration.
DR and US sign agreement
All those who spoke at the event stressed that this was a “historic” moment and expressed their belief that this would help to strengthen already very good ties.
For Abinader, this agreement, which “makes us stronger,” constitutes “a fundamental step towards strengthening our international connections and the economic development of our nation” and lays the foundations for an international aviation system based on equal opportunities and respect for free enterprise and competition.
He also expressed his desire that the Dominican Republic, given its strategic position, could become a regional air hub.
For his part, U.S. Undersecretary Fernandez said that the agreement will benefit citizens of both countries and recalled that more than 2.5 million people of Dominican descent live in the U.S., the Dominican Republic’s largest trading partner and largest investor.
The pact will strengthen trade, tourism, and “serve the interests of our people” by increasing the availability of travel and reducing costs, added Fernández, who believes that it is an important moment to try to bring supply chains closer together and build new ones that allow for the availability of goods produced in nearby places and thus be able to better face geopolitical conflicts or possible pandemics.
He also highlighted the United States’ desire to support the Dominican Republic in the semiconductor and mineral sectors.
For his part, the main negotiator for the Dominican Republic, Tourism Minister Collado, referred to the “pro-entrepreneurship, pro-development, pro-tourism” nature of this agreement.
He recalled that in 2023, 32,000 flights arrived from the United States to the Dominican Republic and this year there are already 20,000, so it is expected to exceed 40,000 from a country from which more than 4.5 million tourists arrive each year and where a large part of the diaspora lives.
The agreement, which represents an achievement for the air connectivity of both countries, will allow Dominican airlines to fly to any destination in the United States and vice versa for American companies, at more competitive prices.
The United States has Open Skies agreements with hundreds of countries around the world, while the Dominican Republic has signed similar aviation pacts with nations such as Panama and Brazil.
