Blinken Visits Dominican Republic for Talks on Economy and Haiti Crisis

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met privately with Dominican Republic’s President Luis Abinader on Friday, discussing a variety of pressing topics, including human rights, economic growth, and security in the region. However, the main focus of their conversation was the ongoing crisis in Haiti, which has been plagued by violence.

Blinken’s one-day visit to the Dominican Republic followed his arrival in Haiti a day earlier, where he aimed to support a United Nations-backed initiative led by Kenya to combat rampant gang violence.

During their meeting, Blinken and Abinader addressed the Dominican leader’s concerns regarding Haiti, which shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. Abinader expressed alarm about the insufficient resources allocated for the international mission aimed at stabilizing Haiti, particularly in light of the recent escape of thousands of inmates following a series of coordinated attacks by gangs on the nation’s largest prisons.

The deteriorating situation in Haiti has led to a surge in the number of migrants attempting to enter the Dominican Republic, with Abinader noting that this influx has overwhelmed local schools and hospitals.

In recent years, Abinader’s administration has faced criticism regarding its treatment of Haitian migrants and individuals born in the Dominican Republic to Haitian parents. The government has responded by restricting flights from Haiti and is currently constructing a wall along their shared border.

Blinken acknowledged some positive developments in Haiti, particularly following the deployment of nearly 400 Kenyan police officers, which aims to regain control from the gangs that currently govern around 80% of Port-au-Prince.

“The foundation for progress in Haiti has to be security,” stated Blinken. He emphasized that it is imperative for this security to be controlled by the state and the Haitian people rather than the gangs.

Both leaders expressed a mutual desire to restore normal relations between the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

“We have a strong interest in trying to help Haiti succeed,” Blinken remarked, underscoring the U.S. commitment to supporting Haiti in overcoming its challenges.

Speaking on the economic front, Blinken highlighted the Dominican Republic’s position as the largest economy in the Caribbean and one of the fastest-growing economies in Latin America. To support this growth, he announced the initial phase of a $3 million investment from USAID aimed at enhancing workforce training and developing industrial parks throughout the country.

In addition, Blinken previously announced an extra $45 million in humanitarian assistance for Haiti and indicated his support for establishing a U.N. peacekeeping operation, which he believes is essential to securing additional resources and funding aimed at diminishing gang influence and restoring stability.

Blinken is expected to return to the United States late Friday after engaging in these critical discussions.