Dominican Republic Extends Haitian Trade Access and Urges International Action on Haiti Crisis

In September, the Dominican Republic extended the HOPE/HELP trade programmes through 2028, granting eligible Haitian textile exporters duty‑free entry to the U.S. market and underscoring the economic linkages across the border. At the 81st UN General Assembly, President Luis Abinader urged the world to deploy the Gang Suppression Force in Haiti, increase resources, enforce the arms embargo, and strengthen Haitian institutions. Civil society has intensified efforts to resolve documentation cases tied to Constitutional Court ruling 168‑13, which altered nationality status for children born in the Dominican Republic to foreign parents lacking legal residence. Law 169‑14 now sets procedures for those affected, and NGOs are pushing for the settlement of pending cases. In May, the Dominican Republic signed a non‑binding memorandum with the United States to temporarily admit a limited number of third‑country nationals on a case‑by‑case basis, with provisions respecting international obligations. Leadership changes at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Migration Institute coincide with UNHCR’s continued support for a national Human Rights System.