Two Caribbean nations, the Dominican Republic and Trinidad and Tobago, have formalized a new Air Services Agreement designed to unlock expanded economic and connectivity ties between them, with a focus on growing trade, tourism and cross-border investment. The official signing ceremony brought together lead negotiators Roberto Álvarez, representing the Dominican Republic, and Eli Zakour for Trinidad and Tobago, marking a key milestone in bilateral relations between the two countries.
This new agreement is structured to align with and complement the existing Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, the global framework that governs standards for international air travel. It incorporates a series of critical provisions that lay the groundwork for more flexible air connectivity: it grants formal overflight and emergency landing rights for airlines from both nations, authorizes the operation of non-scheduled and multi-destination air transport services, and puts in place rigorous shared standards for aviation safety to protect passengers and cargo.
Speaking at the signing event, Álvarez outlined the Dominican Republic’s expanding position as a leading aviation hub across the Caribbean region. He attributed this growth to three core drivers: major investments in expanding and modernizing airport infrastructure across the country, the continuous launch of new domestic and international air routes, and proactive government policies that support the expansion of commercial aviation. He also emphasized that Trinidad and Tobago holds the status of a strategic partner for the Dominican Republic, with shared goals to advance broader integration across the entire Caribbean in multiple priority sectors, including trade, tourism, logistics, energy, and climate-focused sustainable development.