LIMA, PERU. - The Minister of Public Works and Communications, Deligne Ascención, said here that the government of President Luis Abinader has invested US$1.6 billion to improve road connectivity and the construction of ports as a cross-cutting axis of development and competitiveness.
The official gave a lecture at the Latin American Regional Highway Convention, in which he presented a portfolio of projects that aim to raise the country's competitiveness by supporting and connecting economic sectors such as tourism, agriculture, free trade zones and the export sector, according to a press release.
“In recent years, the country has positioned itself as a tourist powerhouse in all of Latin America, achieving more than 10 million tourists visiting the country in 2023, making it the second country in Latin America with the highest number of visits,” he said.
He explained that, in the first seven months of 2024, the Dominican Republic achieved sustained and extraordinary growth in the tourism sector, reaching a record 6,968,449 visitors. This increase brings the total number of visits from August 2020 to July 2024 to 31,947,565.
Road connectivity
Investment in the Southern region begins with the expansion of the Sánchez highway with an investment of more than US$130 million, the Baní bypass, 2nd stage with an amount exceeding US$41,209 million, the 6 de Noviembre highway with an amount of US$65 million, as well as the recently inaugurated Azua bypass with a total of US$83,500 million and the Cabo Rojo port for a value of more than US$40 million.
In the eastern region of the country, the investment exceeds US$120 billion, which will impact the generation of direct and indirect employment; decrease transportation costs; reduce travel times; and support the region's tourism and agricultural development. It will also increase the sustainable development of ecotourism, livestock farming, and agriculture, impacting a population of more than 366,388 people.
The connectivity of the San Pedro - Miches highway has an investment that exceeds US$120 million.
The Northern region, made up of 14 provinces, is being transformed from the Duarte highway, kilometer 9 to Montecristi with an investment of more than US$ 260 million, which will turn it into a modern highway.
Santiago receives an investment of US$200 million, the Navarrete bypass with US$100 million, the port of Manzanillo with US$100 million, the Duarte-La Vega highway with US$70 million, Piedra Blanca–Maimón-Cotuí with US$50 million, as well as the Nagua boardwalk with US$48,000, and the San Francisco de Macorís bypass with an investment exceeding US$42,000 million pesos.
In Greater Santo Domingo, US$307.9 billion is being invested in improving connectivity. The Avenida Ecológica project represents an investment of over US$150 million, the Las Américas-Boca Chica highway (Andrés overpass) more than US$80 million, the expansion and modernization of the recently inaugurated Avenida Rafael Tomás Fernández Domínguez is valued at over US$40.9 billion, and the Plaza de la Bandera project will see an investment of US$37 million.
In the different regions, the government of President Abinader is transforming the connectivity and accessibility of the main provinces and communities of the country, as well as the total investment in the different regions of the country such as the South amounts to US$ 360,609, in the East US$ 120,000, in the North US$ 870,000 million, and Greater Santo Domingo US$ 307,900,000.00.
