Dominican Republic sees productivity gap despite investment push

The Dominican Republic is experiencing a persistent deficit in technical advances that hampers productivity growth. Government officials from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce acknowledge historic barriers that limit access to financing and new technologies, while business groups such as the Consejo Nacional de la Empresa Privada (Conep) and the Asociación de Industrias de la República Dominicana (Aird) commend recent efforts to improve the country’s international positioning and import industrial resources.

Both organisations call for a deep educational reform focused on science, engineering, mathematics and artificial intelligence, and they urge stronger legal certainty for investors. Concerns are also voiced about the new “Plan Anticrisis,” which includes tighter fiscal controls and higher taxes on electronic transfers. The state agency Proindustria highlights progress under law 392‑07 in technology transfer and innovation, and notes that the free‑zone network has generated more than 200,000 jobs across the nation.