Industry leaders in the Dominican Republic urging dialog with Haiti in bid to resolve trade dispute

As the trade dispute between Haiti and the Dominican Republic drags on, the North Region Industries Association (AIREN) of the Dominican Rebulic, has requested for the urgent reactivation of the Joint Bilateral Commission in a bid to end the dispute.

Haiti imposed a ban on imports on a number of products from the Dominican republic as a means to protect local industries.

According to the AIREN president Lina Garcia, Dominican and Haitian authorities should establish formal mechanism for talks and set forth clear rules that benefit both countries.

She implied that Haiti was to blame for the dispute because due to the fact that Haiti imposed the ban without consulting the Dominican Republic, and that this action clearly shows the need to bolster the dialogue between the two countries.

The North Region Industries Association is deeply concerned about the impact to the Dominican industrial and agricultural sectors as a result of the trade dispute between the two Caribbean nations.