The head of the embassy's mission in the country, Robert E. Copley, emphasized the need for education to strengthen the country's competitiveness.

Santo Domingo, November 22.- The benefits of implementing the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) are primarily reflected in institutional improvements, said Robert E. Copley, Chargé d'Affaires and Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic.

The diplomat made the remarks at the American Chamber of Commerce of the Dominican Republic (AMCHAMDR) monthly luncheon in November, held in conjunction with Thanksgiving.
In a presentation titled "DR-CAFTA: The Next 10 Years," Copley, who was a guest speaker and guest of honor at the event, indicated that the agreement entailed substantial changes in Dominican laws related to conflict resolution; labor rights; environmental protection; and government procurement processes, telecommunications, competition, taxes, and fiscal transparency. He explained that with these legal changes came institutional changes, including further strengthening of property rights and labor protections.
AMCHAMDR President David Fernández provided context for Copley's remarks. "Ten years ago, in March 2007, the Dominican Republic signed DR-CAFTA, under which important reforms have been implemented to facilitate business between these nations and improve competitiveness. […] So, by looking back 10 years, we can carefully analyze 10 years into the future," he said.

Copley referred to the Trump administration when contextualizing the role of DR-CAFTA within the Dominican economy.
“The current U.S. administration has been consistent in its expressed desire to create more jobs in the United States and grow the U.S. economy. DR-CAFTA is part of that because, in our view, the agreement has been beneficial to both countries. The United States has been a willing partner in upholding the terms of the agreement as drafted and has invested significant resources to help Dominicans modernize and improve their business practices.

“The great promise of DR-CAFTA for the future is to provide the legal and institutional framework that will allow us to continue growing together, each utilizing and developing our comparative advantages, where they exist. We need to redouble our efforts because we have to address significant challenges, many of which don't have simple solutions, and we have to do this in the face of relentless global competition,” he said.
The diplomat also referred to the importance of education in terms of competitiveness in the country.

“We can't talk about competitiveness without talking about education. We all know that an educated and skilled workforce leads to innovation, and innovation is the path to greater competitiveness. Major investments are needed in the education sector, especially in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (or STEM, as they are commonly known). An educated population is the foundation of a healthy, safe, and prosperous country.
“As friends, colleagues, and neighbors, we are concerned about the rising crime rate affecting Dominicans. It is essential that everyone who lives in or visits the Dominican Republic enjoys a safe and prosperous island. Insecurity is a systematic action of larger forces that must and can be largely eradicated collectively as a region. Over the next 10 years, we must continue to explore how we can collaborate to mitigate citizen insecurity for the Dominican people.

“I hope we can all look back on this moment and identify it as a pivotal point for the Dominican Republic. May this be a moment when economic possibilities began to become realities for all Dominicans and the country moved away from the clutches of corruption, widespread crime, and low educational standards.”