By ESENDOM
January 29, 2026
Lea en español: Banco Mundial elogia estabilidad y crecimiento económico de República Dominicana
Key points
The World Bank called the country’s macroeconomic and political stability “very impressive.”
The Dominican economy has grown by more than 5% annually for three decades.
Progress was highlighted in poverty reduction, wages, and social programs.
Future cooperation will prioritize productivity, SMEs, energy, and tourism.
World Bank representatives highlighted the Dominican Republic’s economic and social performance following an official visit that concluded with a meeting at the National Palace with President Luis Abinader. The meeting closed a technical mission to assess World Bank–financed projects and their impact on national development.
During the meeting—attended by Minister of the Presidency José Ignacio Paliza—the delegation reviewed the development agenda and World Bank programs in areas such as economic growth, social inclusion, and institutional strengthening. The assessment included visits to initiatives supported by the organization.
Diana Alarcón, a representative of the World Bank Board of Directors, described the government’s work to preserve macroeconomic and political stability as “very impressive.” She emphasized the efforts to sustain economic growth while reducing poverty and raising wages—an uncommon balance in the region.
Marcos Chiliatto, also a Board representative, noted that the Dominican Republic has maintained growth above 5% for three consecutive decades, an achievement reached by few countries worldwide. This performance has been decisive in the sustained reduction of poverty and the improvement of social indicators.
Chiliatto highlighted progress such as the reduction of hunger to historic lows, coordinated with organizations like the FAO, and the strengthening of employment and job-training policies. He mentioned World Bank–backed social programs such as Súperate for their direct impact on vulnerable households.
The representatives identified productivity growth as the top priority challenge. Key areas include infrastructure, education, energy, ports, and communications, with the goal of sustaining growth rates of 4–5% as a regional benchmark. They also highlighted potential cooperation to support SMEs, the private sector, tourism, energy, and commercial banking.
The delegation, led by Abdelhak Bedjaoui, included executive directors and representatives from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), reaffirming the institution’s interest in deepening its relationship with the country. The meeting reinforces the government’s strategy of maintaining active cooperation with international financial organizations to advance public policies aimed at sustainable development.
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