CAF, a multilateral financial institution, shows interest in supporting the construction of the project
In Madrid, Spain, President Luis Abinader announced this Wednesday, November 4, that the groundbreaking ceremony for the Amber Highway will take place within 15 days , with the first budget allocation delivered by the Government in the amount of RD 5.78 billion.
The president provided the information at the start of official activities in the European country with a bilateral meeting with Sergio Díaz-Granados, executive president of CAF (Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean), a multilateral financial entity that showed interest in supporting the construction of the project.
Start preparing the land
According to the Minister of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza, the preparation of the land has already begun in Montellano, Puerto Plata, highlighting that the first two environmental licenses have already been obtained for the start of two sections on the Puerto Plata-Santiago and Santiago-Puerto Plata routes.
A long-awaited work
The Amber Highway, which has been awaited for years, will not only transform the connection between the provinces of Santiago and Puerto Plata, reducing a journey of more than an hour to about 35 minutes, but will also be crucial for the development of the Northern region by facilitating the transport of goods, boosting tourism and attracting new investments.
With a length of approximately 35 kilometers, the project was awarded by the RD Vial Trust to the Autopista del Ámbar Consortium, SRL (comprised of Magna, Rizek Constructora, Ingeniería Estrella and Constructora Mar) for an amount of RD 28,800 million.
DR and CAF
With over 20 years of cooperation, CAF contributes to the promotion of sustainable and inclusive development initiatives in the country, and in 2025 they opened offices in Santo Domingo, which further enhances their capacity to support human development projects.
In its 2024-2028 Country Strategy , it prioritizes improving quality of life by strengthening the healthcare system, modernizing education , and expanding essential services. It also supports the revitalization of the digital, energy, tourism, logistics, and financial sectors, as well as investments in water security, renewable energy, resilient infrastructure, and the transition to a low-carbon economy.
At the same time, CAF has supported the private sector through credit lines with Bandex, Banco BHD and BanReservas, focused on MSMEs, women-led businesses and strategic sectors such as agribusiness, manufacturing, renewable energy and sustainable tourism.
The Dominican Republic joined CAF in 2004 and in 2021 increased its capital to become a full member.
What is CAF?
Its website defines it as a development bank committed to supporting the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean and contributing to improving the quality of life in the region. Its actions promote sustainable development and regional integration, serving the public and private sectors, and providing a wide range of products and services to a broad client base comprised of 25 member countries, private companies, and financial institutions, it states.
Last November, it opened its new offices in Santo Domingo and presented its Country Strategy for the next four years, whose plan is focused on human development, competitiveness and resilience, with a cross-cutting approach to gender, diversity and inclusion, with the objective of promoting sustainable and inclusive development that benefits the entire population.
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