Dominican Republic to build ‘economic wall’ along Haiti border

President of the Dominican Republic Luis Abinader on Friday announced plans to establish a network of dry ports along the country’s border with Haiti, describing the initiative as a transformative step for the region’s economy and security framework.

Delivering his annual address to Congress to mark the 182nd anniversary of Independence, Abinader called the project “the most important logistics project ever conceived” for the border region.

He said the network would represent a private-sector investment of more than US$300 million and would operate under a free trade zone regime.

“This is a strategic decision by the state aimed at strengthening our sovereignty through development and competitiveness,” the president told legislators.

Abinader noted that while the country has already constructed a border wall to safeguard its territory, the dry ports would serve as what he termed a “true economic wall.”

“These dry ports will revitalise border provinces, facilitate trade, strengthen formal trade with Haiti, and definitively put an end to smuggling networks,” he said.

Pointing to international examples, Abinader said similar models in countries such as Mexico and the United States have proven effective in centralising customs control, formalising commerce and transforming border regions into development hubs.

“There can be no stability where informality reigns,” he added. “Security is not achieved solely through surveillance; it also involves job creation, trade organisation and the generation of real opportunities.”

A dry port is an inland logistics platform connected to a seaport by rail, road or river. It functions as an extension of a coastal port by offering customs clearance, storage and container transhipment services, easing congestion at maritime facilities and facilitating the movement of goods to production and consumption centres inland.