Dominican Republic advances public sector restructuring, merging Economy and Finance ministries

The Ministry of Public Administration (MAP) in the Dominican Republic hosted a forum titled “Functional Review and State Restructuring: Evidence, Methodology, and Institutional Sustainability” to report on the ongoing reform of the state apparatus. Minister of Public Administration Sigmund Freund said that since September 2024, MAP has completed 21 reorganization processes—including suppressions, mergers, functional restructurings and new creations—all enacted under published legal bases. The most extensive merger combined the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development with the Ministry of Finance, creating a single entity that unifies fiscal policy and national planning.

Panel discussions highlighted the need for efficiency, the importance of sectoral reforms after the macro‑restructuring, and the role of continuous training for public servants. Speakers included Vice‑Minister Sheyla Castillo, Presidential Minister José Ignacio Paliza, Budget Director José Rijo Presbot, and INAP director Gregorio Montero. The forum underscored that the reforms aim to deliver better public services and a more coherent, people‑centered administration.