Foreign Minister defends maritime agreement with the Netherlands

Santo Domingo.- Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez has defended the Maritime Delimitation Agreement between the Dominican Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which defines maritime boundaries with the Dutch islands of Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire. Álvarez rejected claims that the agreement cedes Dominican territory, asserting instead that the country has gained about 11 square nautical miles (37 square kilometers) of maritime area.

Álvarez clarified that the agreement follows precedents set by maritime boundaries with Venezuela in 1979 and Colombia in 1978. He emphasized that the treaty confirms the Dominican Republic’s status as an archipelagic state, safeguarding its exclusive economic zone, seabed rights, and fishing rights. The agreement was negotiated within the framework of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), ensuring a fair and legally sound process.

Signed in 2021, the agreement was recently endorsed by the Dominican Constitutional Court, though it awaits approval by the National Congress. Despite opposition claims that it violates the Constitution, Álvarez reassured that the Government will present technical explanations to Congress upon submission to finalize the treaty.