the minister of Economy, Planning and Development, Miguel Ceara Hattonstated that the Government promotes the development of the border area, through joint work with governors, mayors, congressmen, central government institutions, non-profit associations, organized groups and the business sector.
Minister Ceara Hatton expressed that ultimately it is a “new era for the Border Zone of the Dominican Republic”, through a change in the development model aligned to the potential and priorities of the territory, to guarantee jobs and quality of life for the population.
“We have a comprehensive development strategy for the border area, articulated and the result of participation”expressed Ceara Hatton, in her speech this Monday, April 25, on the new vision of development for the border provinces of the Dominican Republic, which promotes the promotion of five dimensions (institutional, social, productive, infrastructure and environmental) integral to the implementation in public policy action.
He said that “we are advancing firmly in regional development based on strategic projects together with other government institutions (Cabo Rojo, Pedernales, Manzanillo, Pepillo Salcedo)”.
The economist and researcher gave the master conference “Situation and Projection of the Border Area” as part of the dissemination process of the Development Strategy for the Border Area in the Aula Magna of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo within the framework of the 24th Santo Domingo International Book Fair 2022.
He stated that support is being given to the formation and strengthening of the Provincial Development Councils, as key social and economic agents in each territory, promoting public investment in the Border Zone, allocating a minimum of 30% of the funds for the border zone to the border zone. support for NPOs (RD$500 million) and executing Territorial Cohesion Funds in the country’s poorest municipalities and municipal districts (50% of the funds go to local governments in the border area).
In addition, Ceara Hatton mentioned that the care economy is being promoted in a pilot project that includes the border area in Bánica, Elías Piña.
Ceara Hatton said that this is a dynamic process, progress in the Development Strategy for the Border Area that allows articulating the work of the government, international cooperation and social and economic agents.
the minister of Economy He stated that they envision the border area by 2030 with three regional poles for development: the northern border, the center, and the southern border.
Ceara Hatton expressed the commitment of the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development with the application of Law 12-21 to generate greater growth in the border area. Law 12-21 creates the Special Zone for Comprehensive Border Development and an incentive regime, which covers the provinces of Pedernales, Independencia, Elías Piña, Dajabón, Montecristi, Santiago Rodríguez and Bahoruco
The university professor said that by 2030 the northern border is projected, which includes Dajabón, Santiago, Rodríguez and Montecristi, oriented towards the logistics sector, with a consolidated and diversified industry, the rescue of agricultural production, the promotion of rural cooperatives and the strengthening of the livestock sector and its derivatives.
In the border The center, which includes Elías Piña by 2030, projects a central region oriented towards the consolidation of the agricultural sector, linked to agro-industrial development, the promotion of cross-border trade and the promotion of rural cooperatives.
Likewise, he maintained that a region oriented towards sustainable tourism, the strengthening of a service economy based on MSMEs and rural cooperatives, agricultural industrialization to boost exports and consolidate cross-border trade is projected on the southern border by 2030.
Between the proposals cited in conjunction with the National Institute of Drinking Water and Sewerage, the Ministry of Housing and Buildings, the Dominican Institute of Telecommunications and the National Center for the Development and Promotion of Non-Profit Associations of the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development the Connect Program Human Settlements for Development (CAHD) with the Intervention in 50 poorest communities in the Border Zone (Quality of Life Index 1 and 2 –ICV1 and 2) that will receive energy, water, internet and home renovation.
He also reaffirmed that the CAHD will impact the 50 poorest communities that do not have electricity today. Ceara Hatton said that also in conjunction with PROMIPyME the Program for access to financing for micro and small service companies in the border area.
In addition, he cited in conjunction with the Agricultural Bank the Identification Program for productive units with potential for differentiated financing.
Ceara Hatton pointed out, together with the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources, the Water Program for all territories, citing among the initiatives the project for the construction of a dam on the Joca River, the construction of irrigation canals for the production of Santiago Rodríguez, fed by the Boca de Los Ríos Dam.
In the activity, the Diagnosis of the Border Zone was released, consisting of a compendium of 14 Notes with the Structural Gaps analyzed by various public and private entities, under the coordination of the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development. This diagnosis was made for the provinces of Montecristi, Santiago Rodríguez, Dajabón, Elías Piña, Baoruco, Independencia and Pedernales, for the design of targeted public policies.
The content structure of the diagnosis is disaggregated into five dimensions (institutional, social, productive, infrastructure and environmental), which are made up of fourteen structural gaps (institutional, poverty, health, education, basic services, productivity, access to financing, capital human, water, energy, connectivity, digital connectivity, environment and risk); In the same way, four cross-cutting themes were analyzed: security for development, orange culture and economy, human rights and gender equality.
The Development Strategy for the Border Area (MIFRONTERARD) represents the Government’s commitment to improving the quality of life and sustainable development in the seven provinces that make up the territory and the continuous work with the people that comprise it.
MY BORDER It is the instrument designed to coordinate and articulate sectoral policies and guide the initiatives of the private sector, international cooperation and non-profit associations based on a common vision of development taking into account the territory.
The Director of Development Policies for the Border Area, Erick Dorrejo, presented the Diagnosis of the Structural Gaps in the Border Area.
Likewise, the Minister of Economy, Planning and Development, Ceara Hatton, together with the Director of Development Policies of the Border Area, Erick Dorrejo, and the Vice Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, Antonio Ciriaco they delivered the diagnosis to the governors of Santiago Rodríguez, Ivelis Almonte; from Baoruco, Juana Cristina Mateo; from Dajabón, Rosalba Peña; Independence; Mercedes Nova, and from Pedernales, Altagracia Brea
The vice-dean of the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, Antonio Ciriaco, in his welcoming remarks, defined the diagnosis for the border area as important.
Central government authorities, legislators, mayors, provincial governors, the academic sector and the general public participated in the activity.
