US envoy, Competitiveness chief meet, talk business

Santo Domingo.- National Competitiveness Council (COMPETITIVIDAD) director Rafael Paz, met Tue. with US Embassy, chargé d’ffaires Robert Copley to establish strong business ties between both nations.

The meeting’s main objective was to identify the main challenges and opportunities to achieve results of high impact between the DR and the US.

“The agenda that is generated from COMPETITIVIDAD is focused on fighting excessive bureaucracy, fostering greater productivity and productive chains; and trade facilitation, through improved logistics chain to promote the exports,” Paz said.

“The United States is our main trading partner, an essential destination for our exports and provides us with important products for our industries and the market,” said Competitiveness director Rafael Paz.

The meeting, the official said, reveals the efforts of the two governments to facilitate business, encouraging the creation of new public and private policies to eradicate the gap that hinders the sustainable development of companies.

Free trade

The Central America-US-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement was signed on March 1, 2007, leading to key reforms to facilitate business between both countries and improve competitiveness, as acknowledged by the World Bank’s Doing Business Report website this year.

Copley

Robert E. Copley,  a career diplomat, assumed the post of US Embassy Mission Chief in Santo Domingo, on July 21. He joined the Department of State in1998.