Dominican Republic and New York Officials collaborate on climate change and infrastructure

Santo Domingo.- A high-level meeting, led by federal senator Adriano Espaillat, brought together elected officials from New York, including members of the State Congress and councilors, with Dominican Republic’s Minister of Public Works and Communications, Deligne Ascención, and his team. The gathering focused on climate change and the resilience of public infrastructure.

The discussion, which also included geologist Osiris de León, coordinator of the Commission for the Supervision of National Infrastructures in the Face of Climate Change, examined various strategies to combat the effects of climate change on infrastructure. Minister Ascención briefed the New York delegation on the Ministry’s efforts to enhance the quality and durability of road infrastructure against natural calamities. He emphasized the need for modern techniques and approaches in light of the unprecedented challenges posed by climate change.

Adriano Espaillat highlighted the shared challenges faced by both New York City and the Dominican Republic, including extreme weather events exacerbated by global warming. He signaled the potential for a practical agreement offering technical or other forms of assistance to the Dominican Republic, considering its strategic position in the Caribbean and vulnerability to hurricanes.

The meeting also served as a platform for exploring additional resource allocation for the Dominican Republic. Osiris de León appreciated the mutual understanding of vulnerabilities shared by New York and the Dominican Republic, extending to Puerto Rico. The focus was on uniting efforts and experiences to better respond to the impacts of climate change.

The delegation included several prominent figures such as Yudelka Tapia, Ángel Vásquez, Karina Estrella, Karines Reyes, Mayorie Velázquez, George Álvarez, Oswald Féliz, and Ignacio Aracena. The Dominican side was represented by Leonardo Reyes Madera, Roberto Herrera, Elías Santana, and academics from various universities. This meeting represents a significant step in fostering international collaboration to address the growing challenges of climate change and infrastructure resilience.