Readout of the bilateral meeting with H.E. Limber Cruz López Minister for Agriculture of the Dominican Republic

Georgetown, Guyana - FAO Director-General QU Dongyu met H.E. Limber Cruz López, Minister for Agriculture of the Dominican Republic on the sidelines of the FAO Regional Ministerial Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean (LARC38) in Georgetown, Guyana.

The Minister thanked the Director-General for the successful implementation of the FAO projects in the Dominican Republic to strengthen capacities for managing African Swine Fever,as well as to address the Mediterranean Fruit Fly outbreak reported in January 2024. 

The Minister further highlighted that the Dominican Republic had joined the FAO Hand-in-Hand Initiative in 2023, with a view to developing agro-industry in the Enriquillo Norte region that borders Haiti, as well as to enhance farmers' access to markets. 

The Minister further informed that his government was ready to assist Haiti, with whom they share 380 km of border. He also appreciated that the FAO Chief Economist, Maximo Torero, would be visiting the Dominican Republic in April, underscoring the value of continued collaboration. 

The Director-General praised the Dominican Republic's progress and expressed the importance of working together and sharing experiences with other countries.

The pair further exchanged views on the importance of enhancing production and productivity through technical support and innovations to increase value and achieve the transformation of agrifood systems.