Merchants ask Abinader to reconsider border dry port proposal

Santo Domingo.- The National Council of Border Business Owners and Merchants expressed confidence that President Luis Abinader will make a balanced and consensus-based decision regarding the proposed construction of dry ports in the Dominican Republic’s border provinces.

Council president Carlos Morillo Valdés (“Chijo”) praised the president’s willingness to engage with productive sectors, saying the organization trusts the government will carefully consider its concerns before reaching a final decision.

Morillo warned that establishing dry ports along the border could disrupt the current dynamics of binational trade, potentially affecting more than 13,000 merchants and over 100,000 people whose livelihoods depend on cross-border commerce.

The council called on the government to ensure that any decision on the project results from dialogue with the sectors involved, emphasizing the need to protect border trade while promoting sustainable economic development in the region.

The remarks were made during a meeting at the organization’s headquarters in Santo Domingo, where business leaders reviewed the current state of binational trade and discussed initiatives aimed at strengthening commercial activity and creating new opportunities for border communities.