22 Puerto Rican companies join trade mission to Dominican Republic
The businesses will explore export opportunities and investment ties during a three-day mission supported by federal and local agencies.
Twenty-two small and medium-sized businesses from Puerto Rico are in Santo Domingo this week as part of a trade mission organized by Puerto Rico’s Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC, in Spanish) and the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The goal is to expand export opportunities and promote Puerto Rico as a competitive location for investment, according to the agencies.
“We will be in the Dominican Republic with Puerto Rican business owners who own 22 small and medium-sized businesses, facilitating their meeting with potential buyers to present their products and services and increase their export opportunities,” said DDEC Secretary Sebastián Negrón-Reichard. “Our vision as a government is to foster all types of activities that promote the internationalization of our economic activity, both regionally and globally, and increase exports.”
Ella Woger-Nieves, chief executive officer of Invest Puerto Rico, is also participating to present Puerto Rico’s advantages to potential Dominican investors.
“We want to take our trade relationship with the Dominican Republic to the next level, creating new development opportunities and discussing the advantages of doing business between both countries,” Negrón-Reichard added.
The trade mission, taking place May 20–22, includes business meetings, an investment forum, a business briefing and a panel on government perspectives. The initiative is supported by the federal State Trade and Export Promotion Program.
Leonyl Ortiz, director of PromoExport, said the participating companies represent sectors including manufacturing, food, technology, finance and services.
“Several of them have expressed interest in expanding their operations in the Dominican Republic, including opening offices, seeking distributors or establishing business relationships in specific sectors,” Ortiz said.
