Dominican Republic – Undersecretary Silli’s visit

Italian Undersecretary of State Giorgio Silli paid an institutional visit to the Dominican Republic by proxy of Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani. He attended the inauguration ceremony for the President of the Republic Luis Abinader Corona, who was re-elected for a second term of office on 19 May.

"Italy and the Dominican Republic are linked by strong bonds of friendship, as nourished by the large community of Italian descendants - among the oldest in Latin America - which is fully established both in the political-institutional sphere and in the business world," commented Silli, who highlighted the interesting dynamism of the local economy, trusting that "Italian companies will be able to seize the opportunities offered by the Dominican market."

During the visit, the Undersecretary had a meeting with the Dominican Minister of Industry, Trade, and SMEs, Víctor Orlando Bisonó Haza, who confirmed the excellent state of relations between the two countries on a political and economic level. The Undersecretary also visited the assembly centre for the TP-75 Dulus training and reconnaissance aircraft, as produced by the Italian company Flying Legend, where he discussed possible prospects for collaboration in the defence industry sector.

The Political Dialogue Mechanism, which was set up in 2022 and is convened on a regular basis, and President Mattarella's meeting with President Abinader at the Quirinale last May have enabled bilateral relations to be consolidated and relaunched, especially on the economic and business level.

The visit is part of the broader framework of the relaunch of Italian action towards Latin America, as promoted since the beginning of his mandate by Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani. On the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony, Undersecretary Silli also had the opportunity to confirm the importance that Italy is attaching to the ongoing crisis in Venezuela, adhering, along with the EU and 21 other countries - including Argentina, Chile, Panama, Portugal, the United Kingdom, the Dominican Republic, Spain and the United States - to a Joint Declaration.