Dominican Republic ranks below average in global pension and innovation indices

The Dominican Republic has recorded below-average performance in two major international assessments: the Marsh CFA Institute Global Pension Index 2026 and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Global Innovation Index 2026.

In the Global Pension Index, the country earned 61.4 points and a C+ rating, falling short of the 62.6 average for the nine Latin American countries evaluated. A significant gap was noted in the adequacy sub-index, where the nation scored 56.3 points compared to the regional average of 66.5. The report highlights that high levels of labor informality act as a major obstacle, as many workers in self-employment or micro-enterprises do not contribute sufficiently to the system, risking inadequate income during retirement.

Regarding innovation, the Dominican Republic ranked 99th out of 139 countries in the Global Innovation Index, with a score of 22.9 out of 100. While its score saw a slight increase from the previous year, its global position dropped from 97th to 99th. The country faces its most significant challenges in human capital and research, ranking 116th, and in knowledge and technology production, ranking 114th. Experts suggest that improvements in education and business environments are necessary to better convert resources into technological and economic growth.