Domincan Republic and Honduras forge alliance in global anti-corruption effort

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic, represented by the Ministry of the Presidency (MINPRE) and the Government Office of Information and Communication Technologies (OGTIC), and the Republic of Honduras, represented by the Secretariat for Transparency and the Fight Against Corruption, have signed a cooperation agreement. The agreement aims to implement a system for addressing citizen demands in Honduras.

The objective of this collaboration is to strengthen public governance and establish a solid foundation for both countries to achieve high standards of transparency, anti-corruption measures, modernization, internal control, and accountability. This will be achieved through the implementation of multi-sectoral strategies, ethical-administrative training, analysis of legal frameworks, and technical assistance cooperation.

The agreement was signed by Joel Santos Echavarría, Minister of the Presidency; Bartolomé Pujals, General Director of OGTIC and Executive Director of the Digital Innovation and Development Cabinet; and Jaime Turcios, Secretary of State for Law in the Transparency and Fight Against Corruption Offices.

Under this collaboration, Honduras will receive free support and development for a reporting system similar to Line #311 in the Dominican Republic, which operates as Line #130 in Honduras.

Minister Santos Echavarría emphasized that this agreement signifies both countries’ strong commitment to transparency, anti-corruption efforts, and bolstering trust in public administration. He highlighted that this alliance fosters the growth of bilateral relations by establishing formal channels for collaboration and sharing best governance practices.

Pujals remarked on the progress made by the Dominican Republic in corruption perception and transparency ratings, attributing it to the adoption of innovative tools and the implementation of the V Open Data Action Plan. He expressed confidence that implementing Line #130 in Honduras would contribute to a more transparent and efficient government focused on serving citizens.

Mónica Mendoza, the country head of the United Nations on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Honduras, expressed gratitude for the Dominican Republic’s generosity in sharing their emblematic system to combat corruption. She emphasized the importance of technology in this endeavor and highlighted the potential of the system to serve as a model for transparency efforts in Honduras.

The signing ceremony was attended by various authorities from both countries, including the ambassador of Honduras in the Dominican Republic, Sonia Leticia Lozano, and Vice Minister of Government Monitoring and Coordination of the Ministry of the Presidency, José Ramón Holguín, among others.