The Embassy of the Dominican Republic in Kingston inaugurated its ‘Dominican Embassy in Jamaica Roundtable’ initiative, a space that will allow for the promotion of high-level dialogues with relevant sectors in Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, such as the public sector, private enterprise, tourism, agribusiness, construction, culture, academia, among others.

The Dominican Ambassador to Jamaica, Angie Martínez, stated that the Roundtable “aims to become a space for permanent dialogue to discuss issues that allow us to advance our objective of strengthening ties and establishing what we have called the new era in bilateral relations between Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.”

“Through these sectoral meetings, we intend to achieve concrete actions that contribute effectively to generating economic and commercial synergies of reciprocal benefits, further strengthening bilateral relations between both nations,” Ambassador Martínez added.

Continuing, the Dominican Republic envoy explained that as Jamaica celebrate National Exporters Month in May, the embassy decided to launch the initiative with a high-level conversation with the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA).

The Hope Road-based embassy considers the JMEA the country’s most influential organisation that caters to manufacturers and exporters islandwide, and a key partner in the efforts to achieve a win-win relationship, through more dynamic economic relations between the two countries.

John Mahfood, president of the JMEA, pointed out the particular importance of starting this dialogue in the understanding that Jamaica and the Dominican Republic are neighbouring countries that
can support each other to strengthen their respective economies through intra-regional trade, instead of going to more distant and more expensive markets.

The three-hour event was held at the official residence of the Dominican Republic and was attended by a majority of the JMEA board, including newly appointed executive director, Kamesha Blake, as well as members of the 450 company-strong association.

At the roundtable, companies were represented by their owners and managers of leading companies in the food, pharmaceutical, non-alcoholic beverages, infusions, tea, furniture, construction, logistics and distribution sectors, among o who expressed a marked interest in doing business with the Dominican Republic not only to export but to obtain raw materials for their manufacturing operations, as well as to make investments in the Spanish-speaking country.

The embassy team had the opportunity to explain to those present, the advantages of investing and expanding their businesses in the Dominican Republic, as well as the concrete steps it is taking to establish a new era in bilateral relations between Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, at the same time, they were able to see first-hand, the vision of the members of the JMEA in relation to bilateral trade between both nations.

In the end, Ambassador Martínez reiterated that they could count on the Dominican Embassy in Kingston as an ally and friend to grow their business and commercial relations with the Dominican Republic.

“[B]ilateral trade between Jamaica and the Dominican Republic has unexplored potential. The Embassy of the Dominican Republic will be working hand in hand with you to establish, together, this new era of our bilateral relations, which is why we are taking concrete steps to establish a new framework that mutually benefits our commercial relations, which includes, among others, finding new formulas to strengthen trade, investment and production linkages between the two nations; achieve greater air and sea connectivity; and of course the establishment of the Dominican Chamber of Commerce in Jamaica,” said the international lawyer and career diplomat.