Dominicans were recognized for their outstanding work in various sectors abroad.
The American Chamber of Commerce of the Dominican Republic (AMCHAMDR) recognized Dr. Amado Alejandro Báez, a Dominican who, from abroad, was a key player in the fight against Covid-19 in the country, holding the position of advisor to the Executive Branch on health issues, as well as the distinguished lady Claritza Abreu, who after more than 20 years of contributions in health and technology issues in the Boston government leads a team working on the development of artificial intelligence at Google.
The event recognizing the diaspora was held in the gardens of the Dominican Embassy in Washington and was led by the president and executive vice president of AMCHAMDR, Edwin De los Santos and William Malamud, respectively; the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Roberto Álvarez; the ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the United States, Sonia Guzmán; and the vice minister of MIREX for Dominican Communities Abroad, Carlos de la Mota.
Asserting that the more than 2.5 million Dominicans living abroad, according to the second Sociodemographic Study conducted by the Institute of Dominicans Abroad (INDEX), are a vital force for the country's economy, the president of AMCHAMDR emphasized that the Dominican community abroad contributes significantly to the country's sustainable development, promoting investment in education, health, and infrastructure in their homeland.
"This group of Dominicans living abroad, but especially in the United States, plays a fundamental role in the economic and social development of the Dominican Republic, sending remittances that represent a significant percentage of the country's GDP. This is in addition to their significant investments in the Dominican Republic," De los Santos said.
For her part, Sonia Guzmán, Dominican ambassador to the United States, highlighted the importance of Dominicans living in that country and of Dominican Week, organized by AMCHAMDR.
“All of these exchanges and meetings are an effective way to strengthen alliances between the United States and the Dominican Republic. There is no doubt about the transcendental importance of this relationship, as the United States remains the Dominican Republic's main trading partner, and our country is the United States' sixth-largest trading partner in the Western Hemisphere,” the diplomat said.
Meanwhile, the Vice Minister for Dominican Communities Abroad, Carlos de la Mota, thanked all the Dominican communities abroad and those recognized by AMCHAMDR for all the support, dedication, and contributions of our dynamic and prosperous Dominican communities, which do not forget their roots and which, despite the distances, represent an enormous value for our development.
Upon receiving the award, Dr. Amado Báez thanked the American Chamber of Commerce for its ongoing relationship with Dominicans abroad, emphasizing the satisfaction he feels in being able to contribute to the development of the Dominican Republic's medical sector.
Meanwhile, Claritza Abreu, a certified professional cloud architect at the technology giant Google, appreciated the recognition and the opportunity to represent her people in the U.S.
The recognized SemDom USA
Dr. Amado Alejandro Báez graduated with honors in Medicine from the Pedro Henríquez Ureña University (UNPHU). After graduating, he moved to the U.S., where he completed his residency in emergency medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Washington, D.C. (recognized as the #1 hospital in the U.S.) and his subspecialty in critical care and intensive care at Harvard University, as well as a subspecialty in clinical research at the Albert Einstein Medical Center.
Dr. Báez is a great advocate for the collective health of the Dominican people, standing out in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. From the United States, Dr. Báez demonstrated an unwavering commitment to supporting the Dominican Republic during these critical times. His dedication and leadership have been exemplary in the fight against this disease, and he was then appointed director of the COVID-19 Health Emergency Management Committee.
He is currently a professor of emergency medicine and epidemiology at the Medical College of Georgia. He is also a researcher and serves as an advisor to the Dominican government on public health issues. Báez is a firm believer in the resilience and strength of Dominicans to never give up until they achieve their dreams, even abroad, where they excel most.
On the other hand, Ms. Claritza Abreu studied Systems Engineering at the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC), then moved to the United States where she studied Systems Analysis Design at New York University, completing studies in Leadership and Government Management, with a master's degree in Computer Information Systems from Boston University.
It was in the US where Abreu started her family. She worked in the Public Health department for the Boston government, at the Executive Office of Mental Health for Health and Human Services, and at other institutions for over 20 years. She currently leads a team working daily on the development of artificial intelligence at Google; she has been selected as a distinguished citizen in Boston for her contributions to health, social, and technological fields. Ms. Abreu has played an essential role in promoting Dominican culture and building cultural bridges between the diaspora and the Dominican Republic.
About Dominican Week
It is a mission of the American Chamber of Commerce that aims to manage common interests and promote government decisions in line with the needs of the various productive sectors that comprise our membership, with a view to achieving a balanced business environment and bilateral relations through contact with government institutions, international organizations, the diplomatic corps, and Dominicans in the diaspora. SEMDOM seeks to strengthen bilateral trade relations and strengthen ties with the Dominican diaspora in the United States.
As every year, Dominican Week has had the collaboration of the United States Embassy in the Dominican Republic and the Embassy of the Dominican Republic in the United States.
Dominican Week is made possible thanks to the support of brands belonging to the AMCHAMDR Elite Circle: AES Dominicana, Barrick Pueblo Viejo, Cervecería Nacional Dominicana, Citi, HIT Puerto Río Haina, Grupo Humano, Inicia, Grupo Martí, Altice Dominicana, Grupo Rica, Grupo SID, Grupo Punta Cana, Grupo Estrella, and Squire Patton Boggs.
We would also like to thank Banco BHD, Banco Popular, Barceló, Bandex, Bella Aldea, CEPM, Chinola, CONEP, Delta, DP World, INARU, INDEX, Jiménez Peña, La Aurora, NAP del Caribe, Rizek Abogados, Schad, and Seguros Reservas.
