The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, recently held a meeting with the President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, to discuss strengthening the cooperation between the two countries, which share strong historical and economic ties.

During the meeting, which was held at the Mission of the Dominican Republic in New York, Prime Minister Browne presented a clear plan of engagement that would be pursued on two levels.

For the first level, which deals with global issues, Prime Minister Browne invited President Abinader to attend the 4th UN Conference on Small Island States in May 2024.

Additionally, he encouraged the Dominican Republic to formally join the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law (COSIS), which was formed in 2021 to assist small states in defining and developing international law on the rules associated with climate change.

​COSIS recently pursued a groundbreaking matter before the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea.

On bilateral matters, President Abinader assured Prime Minister Browne that his government would quickly allocate funds for the construction of a school in Barbuda and support Antiguans and Barbudans to attend baseball training camps, given the increased interest in the sport on the islands.

Prime Minister Browne thanked President Abinader for his generous offer and reiterated the government’s offer of lands to build an Embassy of the Dominican Republic in Antigua. He also proposed increasing air links between the two countries to facilitate trade and tourism.

President Abinader expressed enthusiasm about Prime Minister Browne’s proposals and committed his government to working on a new cooperation agreement with Antigua and Barbuda to enhance these areas of cooperation.

Both leaders agreed to increase the exchange of official state visits between their countries to further strengthen their relationship.