IOM promotes binational dialogue between Dominican and Haitian authorities through cross-border roundtables

Comendador, Elías Piña. On Thursday, February 25, a first binational meeting was held at the Interagency Coordinated Management Post of Carrizal in the municipality of Comendador (Elías Piña province) between the civil and military authorities of the neighboring towns of Elias Piña and Belladere, convened by the members of the Comendador-Belladere Cross-Border Dialogue Table (MDTs) to promote a work plan and encourage dialogue between authorities.   
 

The meeting was attended by the Governor of the Elías Piña province, Dr. Milly Martínez, the Mayor of Comendador, Mr. Julio Núñez, the provincial coordinator of CONANI Lic. Juanita Medina, and representatives of the different military bodies CESFRONT, Army (ERD) and DGM. Joachim Yvanosky, local sub-delegate of Belladere and Ledoux Macklish, mayor of this community, as well as representatives of the IOM, the Haitian Directorate of Immigration and Emigration, the Support Group for Returnees and Refugees (GARRD) and the community of Belladere participated on behalf of Haiti.   
 

"We consider that this first meeting is of utmost importance, since we must ensure peace on the border in such a way that allows us to develop as a border point... later on we will take up some points with the authorities, points that are strategic for the border," said Governor Milly Martinez at the end of the event.    

An agenda in which migration issues, sports, gastronomic and commercial exchange meetings were discussed was presented by the Cross-Border Dialogue Table for the next semester.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in the Dominican Republic has promoted the creation of cross-border dialogue tables (MDTs) at the four authorized border points: Dajabón, Jimaní, Elias Piña and Pedernales. These tables provide a space for the different social organizations that intervene directly or indirectly in the local context of the border communities to present concerns or situations that may require joint work and solutions.   
 

IOM provides technical support and resources for these meetings within the framework of the Western Hemisphere Program, funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugee and Migration (PRM).  

More information: Zinnia Martínez. Communication Official in the Dominican Republic, zmartinez@iom.int