The AIRD is the first business entity in the country to obtain observer status in Business at OECD, a platform that facilitates the exchange of experiences and the formulation of proposals on economic policies
SANTO DOMINGO.– The Dominican industrial sector will have a new platform for participation in global discussions on investment, trade and competitiveness, following the incorporation of the Association of Industries of the Dominican Republic (AIRD) into Business at OECD (BIAC), an organization that channels the positions of the business community to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
With this step, AIRD becomes the first national institution admitted as an observer in this network, which will allow it to present the challenges of the local productive apparatus and learn about the experiences of other economies in terms of regulation, productivity and manufacturing development.
The integration occurs in a context in which the Dominican Republic seeks to strengthen its ties with the OECD, an entity that promotes international standards and recommendations to improve public policies and foster economic growth.
In this way, the association will have the opportunity to participate in exchange spaces that can contribute to the development of initiatives related to the business climate, the modernization of companies and the insertion of national products into foreign markets.
What opportunities does this participation open up for companies?
One of the main benefits of this incorporation is the possibility for AIRD to present the conditions under which the country's manufacturing companies operate to representatives of different economies.
In addition, the association will be able to learn about strategies implemented in other nations to address challenges related to digital transformation, human talent training, the sustainability of manufacturing processes, and the strengthening of competitive capacity.
However, its observer status does not imply that the Dominican Republic is part of the OECD, but rather establishes a channel for business representation subject to the mechanisms of Business at OECD.
This platform, recognized as the private sector's interlocutor with this organization since 1962, brings together organizations that contribute knowledge and experience to consultations on economic and regulatory matters.
Consequently, the Dominican presence will facilitate comparing the needs of local production with practices applied abroad and contribute to the preparation of approaches adapted to the country's reality.
AIRD raises the need to strengthen industrial competitiveness
AIRD Executive Vice President Mario Pujols believes that decisions related to investment, trade, and regulation have direct effects on the functioning of companies, and therefore considers it necessary to incorporate the experience of the industrial sector into these discussions.
“Discussions about investment, trade, and regulation have consequences for business decisions. We are interested in contributing evidence from Dominican industry and comparing it with other experiences, in order to formulate proposals that respond to our production conditions and the demands of international markets,” said Pujols.
In this regard, the entity seeks to ensure that the proposals arising from these meetings take into consideration the particularities of national manufacturing activity, as well as the demands that companies face in competing in increasingly integrated commercial scenarios.
Furthermore, access to knowledge from other economies could serve as a reference to identify opportunities for improvement in manufacturing procedures and regulatory frameworks that affect business performance.
Dominican government promotes closer ties with the OECD
The presence of the AIRD in this group coincides with official actions aimed at consolidating the Dominican Republic's relationship with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
In July 2025, the Executive Branch issued Decree 408-25, which declared initiatives related to the country's possible accession to that institution to be of national interest.
The provision also created a presidential monitoring commission, under the coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to support the corresponding actions in that process.
Subsequently, in March 2026, the Dominican authorities and the OECD signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at expanding cooperation and facilitating the exchange of best practices in areas such as economic policy, public governance, environment and fiscal matters.
These approaches are part of the efforts aimed at understanding and adopting external references that contribute to institutional strengthening and the nation's economic progress.
A space to connect local industry with international standards
The OECD is a multilateral cooperation institution that brings together governments to examine public policies, evaluate results and develop recommendations related to economic growth and social welfare.
Their studies and guidelines serve as references for States interested in improving their regulatory systems, promoting transparency, and creating favorable conditions to attract capital.
For its part, Business at OECD allows business associations to contribute their perspectives to these analyses through groups specializing in different areas of public management.
In this scenario, the incorporation of the AIRD represents an opportunity to link the experiences of the Dominican manufacturing sector with global debates on productivity, investment and economic development, without implying the direct participation of the Dominican Republic as a member of the OECD.
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