Abinader unveils 85-pronged strategy to drive Dominican growth through 2036

Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader led a high-level assembly Thursday at the National Palace, where representatives from 12 sectoral committees, government officials and business and social leaders prioritized 85 initiatives under the “Meta RD 2036” development plan.

At the meeting organized by the National Competitiveness Council, committee coordinators in agriculture, commerce, construction, energy, finance, industry, mining, SMEs, technology, free zones, tourism and cross-sector policy each presented four top proposals. Abinader urged the group to formalize these recommendations into a new National Development Strategy, complete with clear objectives, timelines and designated responsible parties. “We must move from words to action,” the president said. “This critical path will define what we do, when we do it and who carries it out.”

Tourism emerged as a cornerstone of the agenda. Industry leader Frank Rainieri outlined a strategic plan to diversify offerings, regulate short-term rentals, manage sargassum and upgrade road infrastructure. “We need to organize our artisans so tourists spend more here,” Rainieri argued, calling for faster migration procedures at ports and airports and updated training programs.

Other key proposals included a one-stop window for SMEs, expanded digital-innovation centers under the Information Technology Agreement, a strengthened national logistics hub and improved public-private collaboration in the free-zone sector. The cross-sector committee recommended STEM scholarships, territorial-planning measures and industrial chain integration.

Abinader announced follow-up meetings in the coming weeks to categorize actions into short-term measures requiring no extra funding, medium-term projects needing moderate resources or consensus, and long-term initiatives demanding significant investment and structural planning. “Twenty to twenty-five percent of these actions can start immediately,” he said. “The rest must have deadlines and assigned leaders. It’s time to double our economy.” The session closed with an official photograph of the president alongside the sector coordinators, sealing their shared commitment to a more competitive Dominican Republic by 2036.