The Minister of Public Works, Deligne Ascención, presented in China the strategic axes of safe and sustainable infrastructure that the Dominican Republic has been applying since 2020, with a view to fulfilling the Sustainable Development goals promoted by international organizations.
Speaking at the International Forum on Construction Infrastructure Development in Macau, the official stated that increased coverage of road infrastructure and public buildings contributes to sustainable economic development, safe connectivity, increased access to land communication services and public services, and competitive integration of the country into national and international markets.
“Developing safe and sustainable infrastructure, providing a range of essential services that enable economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection, is why, at the Ministry, we have adopted a culture that ensures that the objectives and positive impacts of the projects last long after their completion,” he explained.
He argued that these objectives should become the central focus of all actions undertaken by Public Works, fully aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically with innovation and reliable, sustainable, resilient and quality infrastructure.
Ascención highlighted that, currently, the Dominican Republic is the largest recipient of foreign investment in Central America and the Caribbean, and that it attracts large foreign capital, corporations and transnational companies year after year due to its political and economic stability, but above all, its strategic geographical position in the center of the continent.
He stated that President Luis Abinader's government has shown a strong commitment to addressing the long-standing challenges facing the road construction and social infrastructure sector through a comprehensive investment package, while also tackling the challenges of expanding transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the sector.
“As international organizations and friendly governments cooperating with our country have pointed out, climate change has intensified our exposure to natural disasters. The occurrence of adverse events increasingly highlights the critical need for accelerated action to strengthen the country’s resilience and adaptation to events that put our road infrastructure at risk, given that we are located in a region prone to storms and hurricanes,” he emphasized.
He said that, in that order, the country requires international cooperation, and that because of this situation it is compelled to make greater investments each year in the maintenance of bridges, riverbeds, coasts, mountain road slopes and highly vulnerable urban areas.
Strategic plan
Ascención indicated that the first axis in the National Development Strategy proposes the formation of a social and democratic State of law, with institutions that act with ethics, transparency and efficiency at the service of a responsible and participatory society, which guarantees security and promotes equity, governance, peaceful coexistence and national development.
He added that in alignment with this national strategic plan, the MOPC developed its Institutional Strategic Plan, with one of its main focuses being safe and sustainable infrastructure.
In this regard, he stated that the strategic objective is to establish a more resilient and safer culture in the country's infrastructure and buildings.
“We are achieving this through specific objectives, such as managing the country's land transport system, which is a key factor in the integration of the territory and in the sustainability of the nation's comprehensive development, increasing safety levels on the road network and improving the quality of life of the population,” he emphasized.
Currently, our country has 1,395 km of main highways, 2,412 km of secondary roads, 1,620 km of tertiary roads, and more than 60,000 km of rural roads, trails, and footpaths. Our nation has had one of the fastest-growing economies in the region.
In 2022, the GDP was $113,641 million according to the World Bank, placing us in 8th position out of 20 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, and according to the projection of the International Monetary Fund, we have an economic outlook to rise to 7th place by 2024.
He explained that within the plan for the construction and repair of building infrastructure, they are carrying out the National Public Parking Plan of the Dominican Republic (ParquéaT-RD) at the national level, to increase the adequate infrastructure for public parking in the main urban centers of the country.
“During the period 2020-2024, we carried out road improvement projects nationwide, covering more than 4,300 km of roads and more than 400,000 meters of sidewalks and curbs. We have built new highways, bridges, and docks, contributing to the country's economic and commercial development,” he explained.
Ascención also highlighted the use of the geoportal, a platform that allows access to and information on the condition of highways, rural roads, bridges, and all the services provided by the MOPC at the national level, thanks to the Geographic Information System (GIS).
