Country Development Cooperation Strategy

The goal of the Dominican Republic (DR) 2020-2025 Country Development Cooperative Strategy (CDCS) is to promote a more secure and inclusively prosperous Dominican Republic that advances local and transboundary resilience. As one of the United States’ closest neighbors, prosperity and security in the Dominican Republic directly impact the United States. Reflecting close economic, diplomatic, and social ties, the USAID/Dominican Republic CDCS advances America’s strategic. This strategy’s focus on improving wellbeing for the most vulnerable and building local and national capacities that drive commitment for responsive governance supports national security initiatives related to crime and violence; illicit trade in narcotics, wildlife, and persons; health and infectious disease control; countering malign actors; and market-based development. USAID’s work to enhance citizen-responsive governance, strengthen essential service systems, and improve community resilience and wellbeing promotes the CDCS Goal of a more secure and inclusively prosperous Dominican Republic that advances local and transboundary resilience.

Across the Mission’s portfolio, activities will address issues of governance and human rights, access to quality public services, and mobilizing community resources. Developed as part of a consultative process with the Government of the Dominican Republic (GODR), private sector, and civil society, this strategy represents USAID’s commitment to employing its comparative advantage over the next five years to help the Dominican Republic overcome constraints that limit progress. Still grappling with the adverse effects of COVID-19, this strategy nonetheless comes into effect at an opportune moment when new perspectives can facilitate pivotal reforms and the experience of a global shock demonstrates the need to develop institutions and services that support secure, inclusive, and resilient prosperity. Through this CDCS, USAID advances a future where, driven by local structures and resources, Dominican youth develop productive and valued human capital, Haitian-descent populations in the Dominican Republic take part in shared growth, local efforts achieve HIV epidemic control, crime and security becomes a secondary concern for Dominicans, and public trust in GODR institutions rises.

This strategy is designed to align with and support U.S. Government priorities outlined in the National Security Strategy, the Joint Strategic Plan, the Joint Regional Strategy for Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Dominican Republic Integrated Country Strategy. In the implementation of this CDCS, the Mission is also keenly aware of the DR’s downgrade to Tier 2 Watchlist status in the June 2020 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report. In conjunction with other USG entities, USAID’s work to combat TIP in the DR crosses the Mission’s portfolio and addresses victim-centered approaches to judicial reform, the intersection of TIP with gender-based violence (GBV) in the DR, and inclusive access to livelihood, psychosocial, health and other basic services for vulnerable children and youth to reduce the incidence of trafficking.