Spanish
With a population of nearly 540,000 inhabitants, the municipality of Santo Domingo Norte has become a hub of opportunities and growth for employment and productivity for the entire province of Santo Domingo.
In the last five years, the SMEs of that municipality have registered an estimated growth of between 10 and 12%, reflecting the vitality of its business fabric, organized in the Consejo Empresarial Santo Domingo Norte (CESDN).
However, the municipality also has deficits in road and transportation infrastructure, drainage problems, limitations in public services, barriers to access to financing for MSMEs, and gaps in technical training that limit the full exploitation of its growth potential.
They also urgently need to link technical and formal education with the real demand of the productive apparatus, according to the president of the CESDN, Julián Pérez.
"These advances call us to redouble joint efforts between entrepreneurs and the government, to design public policies that promote formalization, innovation, and sustainability," said Perez during the "Connecting Entrepreneurs 2025" meeting, which was attended by the Vice President of the Republic, Raquel Peña.
Peña led the meeting with the keynote conference "Towards a new Santo Domingo Norte: a shared agenda to boost local development", where he addressed the challenges and opportunities for the economic and social growth of this demarcation.
The vice president valued the efforts of the business community, which, together with the Government, are joining forces to bring development to every corner of Santo Domingo Norte.
He also highlighted that the free trade zone sector, traditionally an example of efficiency and competitiveness, registered a growth of 10.4% between January and August 2025, compared to the same period in 2024. Regarding tourism, during that same period, the country received 8,005,257 visitors, which represents an increase of 49% compared to 2019, 13% compared to 2023, and 2.8% more than last year.
He also highlighted the interventions in access to drinking water, noting that, thanks to the expansion of the Eastern Aqueduct, the construction of the Salinity Barrier and the transfer to Santo Domingo Norte, more than 40 million gallons are currently distributed daily, directly benefiting more than 850,000 people with a permanent, reliable and safe service.
The Vice President also reported on the progress of a comprehensive sanitation plan in the Marañón, Villa Emilia, Altos de Sabana Perdida, Bajo Mundo and Ponce ravines, which not only includes surface cleaning, but also the installation of pipes, sewers and drainage networks, to provide these communities with basic services and safer environments.
"We have made a historic investment of more than RD$1.548 billion to transform transportation in Santo Domingo North. Of that amount, a significant part has been allocated to the construction of Line 1B of the Santo Domingo Metro, which will connect Villa Mella with Punta, directly benefiting more than 300,000 users," Peña said.
He also added that the Government has invested more than RD$3,000 million in the municipality of Santo Domingo Norte.
In terms of housing, Peña highlighted the progress of the Ciudad Modelo project in Santo Domingo Norte, where 1,912 homes have already been built, providing thousands of families with the opportunity to have a decent and safe home. In addition, the Government has delivered bonds that cover up to 60% of the cost, with payment facilities of up to 20 years.
The event brought together ministers, congressmen, business people, and local authorities, establishing itself as the main space for dialogue and projection in Santo Domingo Norte.
