In Panama, the General Directorate of Public-Private Partnerships (DGAPP) presented, to representatives of PPP units from different countries in the region, the progress of the Dominican Republic in this area and offered details about the first infrastructure project to be developed through this model in the country, such as the conversion of the Duarte Port in Arroyo Barril-Samaná into a cruise terminal.
The DGAPP explains in a press release that it held a “Showcase” of the Puerto Duarte PPP Project at the “PPP Americas Forum 2023”, held from July 18 to 20 of this year in Central America; with the objective of sharing good practices of public-private partnerships and attracting investors to the Dominican Republic.
The forum is held annually by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to improve and strengthen the capacity of countries to implement and develop public-private partnership projects in the economic and social infrastructure sectors in Latin America.
The DGAPP delegation was represented by the deputy director of promotion, Izalia López, and included the deputy director of management and supervision, Alan Jiménez; the technical deputy director, Eliardo Cairo; and the economic advisor to the Executive Directorate, Jaime Pérez.
They presented to more than 250 representatives from the public and private sectors of 25 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe and Asia, the details of the structuring and financial model of the Puerto Duarte project, the first project awarded under the PPP modality in the Dominican Republic.
During the presentation, topics such as the regulatory framework for PPPs under Law 47-20, the project structuring process and the changes that arose during its development, and the benefits that this new cruise port will bring to Dominican tourism and to the socio-economic development of the province of Samaná and the surrounding communities were discussed, explains the DGAPP statement.
The meeting shared the latest trends in this model for structuring and executing projects that contribute to raising the country's level of investment in infrastructure necessary for sustainable development and that generate value for societies, governments, and businesses.
Cruise Terminal in Arroyo Barril – Samaná
Among the benefits that the project will bring, the DGAPP cites the design and construction of a new port infrastructure, revitalization of the tourism sector in Samaná and surrounding areas, creation of new jobs (direct and indirect), enhancement of cruise tourism, boosting of the region's economy and stability, growth and consolidation of the area in the sector.
