Santo Domingo.- A high-level meeting, led by Federal Senator Adriano Espaillat, brought together New York elected officials, including members of the State Congress and councilors, with the Minister of Public Works and Communications of the Dominican Republic, Deligne Ascención, and her team.
The meeting focused on climate change and the resilience of public infrastructure. The discussion examined various strategies to combat the effects of climate change on infrastructure. Minister Ascención informed the New York delegation about the Ministry’s efforts to improve the quality and durability of road infrastructure in the face of natural calamities.
Adriano Espaillat highlighted the shared challenges facing both New York City and the Dominican Republic, including extreme weather events exacerbated by global warming. He noted the potential for a practical agreement offering technical or other assistance to the Dominican Republic, considering its strategic position in the Caribbean and its vulnerability to hurricanes.
The meeting also served as a platform to explore the allocation of additional resources for the Dominican Republic. Osiris de León appreciated the mutual understanding of the vulnerabilities shared by New York and the Dominican Republic, extending to Puerto Rico. The focus was on joining efforts and experiences to better respond to the impacts of climate change.
The delegation was made up of several prominent figures such as Yudelka Tapia, Ángel Vásquez, Karina Estrella, Karines Reyes, Mayorie Velázquez, George Álvarez, Oswald Féliz and Ignacio Aracena. The Dominican part was represented by Leonardo Reyes Madera, Roberto Herrera, Elías Santana and academics from various universities. This meeting represents a significant step in fostering international collaboration to address the growing challenges of climate change and infrastructure resilience.