Abinader highlights poverty reduction and record exports in UN address
New York.- President Luis Abinader highlighted the Dominican Republic’s progress in reducing poverty and hunger, attracting investment and expanding exports during his address Wednesday to the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
Abinader said monetary poverty fell from 25.8% in 2019 to 14.6% during the first half of 2026, while the country has been removed from the list of nations with the highest levels of hunger. He said the Dominican Republic achieved its Zero Hunger target ahead of its 2028 goal. The government has announced that the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will formally recognize the country for this achievement on October 10 in Rome.
The president also highlighted economic indicators, noting that the Dominican Republic received more than US$4 billion in foreign direct investment annually for four consecutive years, with the figure surpassing US$5 billion in 2025. He added that exports reached a record of nearly US$16 billion.
Abinader said the country’s tourism growth has also contributed to its economic performance, noting that visitor arrivals increased from 7.5 million in 2019 and are projected to surpass 12 million in 2026.
Beyond GDP
The president called for a broader international framework to measure development beyond gross domestic product (GDP), arguing that per-capita income should not remain the main criterion used to determine access to concessional financing.
He urged the international community to complete the process launched through the Pact for the Future and establish common measures that incorporate countries’ multidimensional vulnerabilities. He specifically called for international financial institutions to consider the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index in their decision-making.
Climate change and sargassum
Abinader also addressed the effects of climate change and rising sea levels on small island states, saying vulnerability is a daily reality for countries such as the Dominican Republic.
He highlighted the United Nations’ adoption of a declaration on sea-level rise and pointed to sargassum as a recurring Caribbean challenge affecting coastal communities and tourism.
The president also cited the Dominican Republic’s progress in protecting marine ecosystems, including its ratification of the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, commonly known as the High Seas Treaty.
Conflicts and international cooperation
On global affairs, Abinader called for serenity, clarity and unity in addressing wars, economic pressures, climate change and rapid technological development.
He said conflicts in Europe and the Middle East have contributed to higher food and energy costs, particularly affecting countries such as the Dominican Republic that depend heavily on imported fuel. He advocated for de-escalation, freedom of navigation and diplomatic solutions to international disputes.
Abinader also called for a more representative, efficient and responsive United Nations, saying countries must work together to address global challenges and ensure that international agreements are effectively implemented.
“The future is no longer something that is perceived in the long term,” he said, arguing that the speed of technological, economic and environmental changes requires governments to act in the present.
