Dominican Republic advances critical mineral exploration and US cooperation

The Dominican Republic is advancing exploration for critical minerals and rare earth elements, particularly in the Ávila Mining Fiscal Reserve in Pedernales. A cooperation framework signed with the United States aims to bolster supply chains and attract investment in these strategic resources. While the government expects to declare the first reserves by 2027, political figures and the Communist Workers Party (PCT) have called for greater transparency regarding the terms of these international agreements to ensure national sovereignty and economic benefit.

In related infrastructure developments, the Dominican Electric Transmission Company (ETED) is implementing the STATCOM project with support from the Inter-American Development Bank. This initiative involves installing equipment at four strategic points to stabilize the national power grid. Additionally, the mining company Emidom and the Dominican Institute of Meteorology (Indomet) have partnered to install three automatic weather stations in Pedernales to improve climate monitoring and early warning systems for local communities.

On the trade front, President Luis Abinader confirmed ongoing negotiations with the United States regarding a decree on rice production safeguards. He also noted that a previous impasse regarding the terrestrial entry of Dominican products into Haiti via the Dajabón border has been resolved.