The “Estrategia Nacional de Desarrollo 2010-2030: un viaje de transformación hacia un país mejor” [National Development Strategy 2010-30: A Journey of Transformation Towards a Better Country] is the Dominican Republic’s roadmap towards socially inclusive growth. The National Development Plan is built on the four strategic axes of a state with efficient and transparent institutions; a cohesive society; a complex, innovative and sustainable economy; and sustainable management of the environment. Special attention is given to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions) and SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities) (ECLAC, 2018). Policies to enhance productivity include the consolidation of the sustainable management of public finances, the reliable provision of energy at competitive prices and the development of a quality education system that responds to national development. At the same time, the plan includes policies to consolidate participative democracy and the electoral system, improve the National Security System and professionalise the police.
The second strategic axis aims at guaranteeing education, health and social security for all by appealing to territorial cohesion, equality of opportunities and low levels of poverty and inequality. The recommended policies include the universalisation of public education from preschool to secondary education, the promotion of a culture of equity between men and women, the strengthening of the administrative capacities of municipalities to boost local development, and the reduction of disparities between rural and urban areas in access to services and economic opportunities. Additionally, the Dominican Republic adopted a Multidimensional Poverty Index that counts five dimensions: health; education and childcare; livelihood and labour; housing and environment; digital gap and social relationships, as well as 24 indicators in 2017.
In terms of public financing capacities, the Dominican Republic’s total tax revenues were 13.7% of GDP in 2016 (vs. 22.7% in LAC and 34.3% in the OECD). The country has joined the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, but it is neither a signatory of the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement on the Exchange of Country-by-Country Reports nor of the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement on Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information to fight tax evasion.
The international co-operation policy is in line with the National Strategy of Development. The National System of International Cooperation for Development (SINACID) is aligned to the National Planning and Public Investment System, as well as to the State Financial Management System. As of 2016, under the Viceministry of International Co-operation (VIMICI in Spanish), the sectors in which most of the initiatives were concentrated were health, agriculture and fishing, and education, followed by justice, environment, industry and trade. The main source of co-operation was through multilateral and bilateral funds. Key partners include the Colombian Presidential Agency for Co-operation, the European Union, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Japan International Co-operation Agency, the Pan American Health Organization, the Spanish Agency for International Co-operation and Development, the United Nations Development Programme, the United States Agency for International Development and the United States Department of Agriculture.
