Santo Domingo.- On Thursday, a commission consisting of three teams of deputies from the Chamber of Deputies of the Dominican Republic will interview Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez. The focus will be on the recent conflict between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, caused by the construction of a water canal to divert part of the Masacre River towards Haitian territory. They will also discuss the border closure between the two countries.
Álvarez plans to meet with the commission at 10:00 a.m. The commission brings together the Border Affairs, Armed Forces, and Foreign Relations committees, which will collectively seek explanations for the canal’s progress and the resulting diplomatic tensions.
This meeting marks the sixth invitation that the deputies extend to Álvarez. His attendance is considered almost mandatory, since his absence could prompt the Chamber of Deputies to take further action. Previously, the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Alfredo Pacheco, expressed frustration when Álvarez excused himself for the fifth time, leaving congressmen waiting.
The situation on the border has been tense for months, in the absence of a diplomatic solution to the conflict. The Minister of Foreign Affairs must address the measures adopted to try to resolve these differences. Since the construction of the canal, which has received support from Haitian businessmen and politicians, the two countries have faced ongoing disputes. These disagreements have been presented to international organizations without any definitive resolution.
The Dominican government has taken various actions against Haiti in relation to the construction of the canal, alleging defense of national sovereignty. The measures included a complete closure of borders and a suspension of visas, followed later by a partial reopening for commercial exchanges only. However, the Haitian side has not opened its part of the border, citing as disrespectful objections to the collection of biometric data to regulate passage in the border area.
At the beginning of October, Foreign Minister Álvarez attended a Senate session where he addressed the Plenary Session of 32 legislators about the Foreign Ministry’s actions in handling the situation with Haiti.