On Monday 27 March, the European Union and the Dominican Republic inaugurated the Latin American and Caribbean Cyber Competence Centre (LAC4) in Santo Domingo, which is co-funded by the EU through the EU Cyber Net project and set up in close cooperation with the Estonian authorities.
The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, welcomed the opening of the first regional digital skills centre, which demonstrates the Dominican Republic’s rapid progress in digitalisation.
Following his bilateral meeting with Dominican President Luis Abinader, Mr Borrell also announced the launch of a €13 million bilateral cooperation programme to support the Caribbean country in its economic development and climate transition.
The two leaders discussed the serious political and economic crisis that Haiti is “going through”. At the Ibero-American summit in Santo Domingo the previous weekend (see EUROPE 13150/20), Mr Abinader had called on the international community to act to “pacify” the neighbouring country. Mr Borrell assured him that the EU would support “any initiative” he intended to take.
Finally, Mr Borrell promised to convey to the EU institutions the Dominican Republic’s “interest” in having a bilateral agreement on visa-free travel for short stays. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)