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FOREIGN AND COMMERCIAL POLICY OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19
IV. Italy-Dominican Republic bilateral trade
Trade relations between the Dominican Republic and Italy began to reflect a cycle of great dynamism be-
ginning in 2016. That year, bilateral trade reached the sum of US$563 million, with US$57 million representing
Dominican exports and US$506 million representing imports from Italy.
In the 2016-2018 triennium, trade between the two countries reached US$1.33 billion. In contrast, in the
2013-2015 period, the bilateral exchange totaled US$928 million. In 2019, trade reached approximately US$480
million, although following the same pattern, only US$66 million pertained to Dominican exports.
Dominican products with the highest sales to Italy
2
include ferronickel (US$22 million), cacao (US$18 mil-
lion), gold (US$11 million), and ultraviolet or infrared devices for medical use (US$10 million). From Italy, we
purchase jewelry (US$73 million), motor oils (US$19 million), pharmaceuticals (US$13 million), and plastics
and plastic manufactured products (US$11 million).
Regarding products with great export potential to the Italian market, we find our country as the world
leader in cacao (60% of global exports in this category). Another is gold, as Italy has large gold reserves (third
largest worldwide), while the demand for it is expected to increase. Of the ultraviolet or infrared devices for
medical use that Italy buys from the rest of the world, 85% come from the Dominican Republic. In addition,
our opportunities are great in the rum market, where Italy has been increasing its global imports every year—
from US$60 million in 2015 to US$306 million in 2019.
V. Tourism
Approximately 93,000 tourists visited the Dominican Republic from Italy last year, the sixth highest num-
ber from European countries, after France, Russia, Germany, Spain, and England. In 2018, 83,000 Italians vis-
ited our shores. This year, despite the impact of the pandemic, 25,000 Italians have visited us to date. Despite
this reality, the recovery of the sector is expected in the coming months of the high season. A hopeful sign
can be seen in the visits by more than 800 persons from Italy in July and August, after travel had stopped be-
tween April and June of this year. With effective promotion and collaboration between different sectors, we
can launch the recovery of tourism. It is important to note the announcement made by President Abinader to
reopen the country’s [international] tourism sector beginning October 1, 2020.
Despite all of these achievements, we are not completely satisfied with the current state of affairs. As I have
expressed to Ambassador Canepari on several occasions, if we were to win the elections, we would propose to
continue and strengthen relations between our country and Italy. Through this virtual appearance, I wish to
take the opportunity to reiterate this commitment before such an important audience.
[...]
ENDNOTES
1
Minister Roberto Álvarez thanks Anselmo Muñiz, Strategic
Studies and Analysis Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
and Ariel Gautreaux, Commercial Affairs Counselor of the Min-
istry of Foreign Affairs, for the collaboration in the preparation of
this work.
2
Source: Trademap (2018).
Following pages:
Agricultural
landanscape of
the Dominican
Republic at sunrise.
“Existance of God”.
© Photograph by
Giovanni Savino,
donated by the author