Before the inauguration of the XXVII Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government, the President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, indicated that the great challenge after the pandemic is to avoid a financial crisis that causes social problems.
“One issue we need to address at this summit and later in our countries is that, out of this pandemic crisis, we cannot go to a financial crisis, a financial crisis that can socially destabilize many of our countries,” he said. the Dominican president. at the Forum of the Thirteenth Ibero-American Business Meeting, held yesterday afternoon in Andorra.
He also told other leaders that the countries they lead must prepare because the financial crisis caused by rising public debt can lead to tax-raising situations and a shrinking spending. social.
He also argued that it is necessary to have a pro-growth vision in the economy, which would also allow for a higher amount of taxes, as well as to create creative financial schemes that would cover the payment of debts, but without penalizing growth capacity and job creation.
Vaccines
Abinader reiterated that the COVAX program (the World Health Organization’s vaccine distribution mechanism) was a failure. several countries, but this has not been achieved ”.
“We understand that every country wants to vaccinate its people first, but I think we lacked the creativity to achieve the goals of each country,” Abinader said.
Economic aspects
Abinader also referred to the economic aspect, noting that despite the fact that tourism, one of the main sources of foreign exchange in the country, was so affected by the pandemic, other sectors reacted positively. He pointed to exports, which in February reported record figures in this area. “We are in the process of recovering tourism, we have about 300 thousand tourists, mainly North Americans, estimated to arrive this April,” he said.
He added that the country already has over 50% of hotels open. “I think we will have a major economic recovery,” Abinader said.
He cited forecasts from credit organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and ECLAC, which show a 6% increase this year in the Dominican Republic.
He also pointed out that with social programs, such as Phase I and Phase II, to encourage companies and avoid unemployment, as well as the Stay at Home program for informal traders, the government has realized that poverty will only increase by 1, 9%. “Our goal is to try to get back to the level we had before the pandemic in a year,” he said.
I know more
Ceremony.
Abinader participated in the Forum in the company of the Presidents of Spain, Pedro Sánchez; Guatemala, Alejandro Giammattei; Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa; the head of the Andorran government, Xavier Espot Zamora, and the Portuguese prime minister, Antonio Costa. King Philip VI ruled
closing speech.
The role of entrepreneurs.
Abinader acknowledged the social commitment of many businessmen in the DR and around the world who kept a large part of the staff, even though they did not work.
Participate in the opening of the Summit
President Luis Abinader attended yesterday the inauguration of the XXVII Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government held here. On this occasion, it promotes a recovery agenda in the field of health, social, economic and environmental, in the face of the Covid-19 crisis.
In the ceremony held in the outdoor area of the Sport Village Hotel, in Soldeu, the King of Spain, Felipe VI; the President of Guatemala, Alejandro Giammattei; the head of the Government of Andorra, Xavier Espot; the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the Ibero-American Secretary General, Rebeca Grynspan. Then Abinader attended the dinner offered to the participants.
Work begins today with several bilateral meetings. The afternoon will be handed over to the command of the Secretary General pro tempore, where Guatemala will hand it over to the Dominican Republic, and later, President Abinader will be responsible for the acceptance speech in which he will announce the country’s plans for the Ibero-American Summit.