The US will continue to support the fight against corruption

Ambassador Robin Bernstein expressed that the United States will maintain its support for the Dominican Government, especially in the fight against corruption, in strategic assets, transparency, and in the promotion of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

The American diplomat participated as a speaker on the traditional Thanksgiving Day, celebrated each year by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmchamDR).

In her speech “Stronger Together” (Together we are stronger), the US diplomat highlighted the strong relationship of both nations, which will allow us to move forward together towards a great future, despite the changes and challenges that this year 2020 brought.

The United States will collaborate to remain a partner within the new Dominican Government’s vision to create more opportunities for FDI through reforms and legislation that facilitate business competition, public contracting, and the strengthening of public-private partnerships.

We are ready to assist the new administration and remain a partner when addressing the issues they have prioritized, including fighting corruption, protecting their strategic assets, and transparency, she stressed.

“As I said before, the United States is ready to work with companies interested in investing in the Dominican Republic, and we are pleased to collaborate and work together to face current challenges,” Bernstein said.

“We stand ready to assist the new administration. We remain a partner in addressing the issues they have prioritized, including fighting corruption, protecting their strategic assets, and transparency. As I said before, the United States is ready to work with companies interested in investing in the Dominican Republic. We are pleased to collaborate to work together to address today’s challenges.”

For the third time, Bernstein appears in the traditional meeting as the United States ambassador to the Dominican Republic, this time virtually through the Cisco Webex platform, said that his Government had helped this country to face the Covid-19 pandemic, with almost US $ 9 million. This summer, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the United States Government donated 50 ventilators to provide survival kits in 13 hospitals in the Dominican Republic, she noted.

Assistance

“Through the United States Southern Command, we donated two mobile hospitals with a capacity for 40 beds and four ventilators in each. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have been working hand in hand since the beginning of the pandemic with local government partners to provide technical assistance and guidance on how to respond,” she explained.

Other contributions are related to collaboration with the private sector so that, through AmchamDR, companies can participate in a virtual forum that allows them to respond to challenges successfully.

Similarly, the Department of Public Affairs contributed $ 100,000 to Dominican designers who made sheets, uniforms, boots, and medical caps for front-line medical workers. Despite Covid-19, we continue to focus on the four SIDE pillars that I established upon my country’s arrival. The S in SIDE is safety and security, and our collaboration on safety is stronger than ever, among others,” Bernstein pointed out.

The diplomat also referred to the recent agreement with the United States Finance Corporation for International Development that allowed its formal integration into the America Crece initiative. Bernstein cited some encouraging statements about the interest in applying the new public procurement law, which is being worked on with USAID assistance, and in developing investment projects financed through public-private partnerships. In addition to the country’s recent decision to join the Clean Network to ensure control of its digital and telecommunications infrastructure.

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August 2nd

Before Robin Bernstein’s speech, Ramón Ortega, president of AmchamDR, highlighted the work of the public-private alliance of that institution with the Dominican Government, to promote trade facilitation, the positioning of the country as a “Nearshore” destination. And “Hub Logístico,” digital transformation and improvements in processes and procedures before the public administration.

Recognitions

AmchamDR recognized the contributions made by Ambassador Bernstein during her diplomatic service in the country, the hard work of more than 40 years of the tourism entrepreneur Frank Rainieri, past president of the American Chamber of Commerce and who will be president emeritus, and also Rosa Ramos, sub-coordinator of the North Zone, for her 40 years of service.