The Dominican Republic and Honduras have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation across a wide range of areas, following high-level talks between the Dominican Republic’s ambassador to Honduras, Luis Bienvenido García Mercado, and Honduran Foreign Minister, Javier Bu Soto. During their meeting on 12th July, 2025, the two officials explored ways to strengthen collaboration in air connectivity, security, tourism, trade, and mutual support in international forums. The Honduran government, led by President Xiomara Castro, expressed its gratitude to the Dominican Republic for the assistance provided in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Sara.
Ambassador García Mercado described current diplomatic, commercial, and cultural relations as being at one of their strongest points in history, noting that bilateral trade has grown steadily and could be boosted further through direct air routes. Between 2020 and 2024, trade between the two nations reached a cumulative total of US$937.7 million, representing an average annual growth of 8%. In the first five months of 2025 alone, trade rose to US$75.5 million—an increase of 9.3% compared to the same period last year. Dominican exports to Honduras include tobacco, pharmaceuticals, cornmeal, textiles, polymers, and other high-value agro-industrial products.
Foreign Minister Bu thanked the Dominican Republic for its ongoing cooperation and its backing of Honduran initiatives in multilateral arenas. Both governments stressed that such meetings strengthen bilateral relations and reaffirm a shared commitment to the prosperity of both peoples. The talks were held alongside the flagship event Between Dominican Notes and Catracho Flavours, jointly organised by the Dominican Republic’s Export and Investment Centre (ProDominicana), the Embassy of Honduras in Santo Domingo, and Honduras’ National Investment Council (CNI).
A key outcome of the event was the signing of a renewed Memorandum of Understanding, designed to stimulate foreign investment, expand technical cooperation, and create new opportunities for trade. According to ProDominicana’s Executive Director, Biviana Riveiro, the trade relationship between the two countries has shown consistent and promising growth in recent years. She pointed to figures from January to May 2025 that confirm the upward trend, with a 9.3% year-on-year increase in trade. Investment flows have also been rising sharply. Honduran investment in the Dominican Republic has grown from US$3.9 million in 2019 to US$28 million in 2024—a more than sevenfold increase—driven by the Dominican Republic’s competitive advantages, legal security, and strategic location for regional trade.
Tourism is another area of dynamic growth. Between 2020 and 2024, more than 29,000 Hondurans visited the Dominican Republic, with average annual growth in arrivals of 58%. Riveiro said this momentum strengthens the case for new air routes and more diverse tourism offerings, further binding the two nations together. Speaking at the event, Honduras’ Minister of Investment, Miguel Medina, said the renewed agreement between CNI and ProDominicana reflected a “firm commitment to building a more competitive, integrated, and prosperous region”. He described the Between Notes and Flavours initiative as both a celebration of trade and investment and a tribute to the shared cultural identity of two Caribbean sister nations. The gathering also highlighted cultural connections, with folkloric dance performances from both countries’ Ministries of Tourism, rum tastings, and samplings of signature cigars. These experiences underscored the richness of each nation’s traditions while reinforcing their economic and diplomatic bonds.
