May 4, 2021
The Commonwealth of Dominica expanded its bilateral relations after signing a joint communiqué with the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan last week. The meeting, which took place in New York, saw Ambassador Loreen Ruth Bannis-Roberts, the Permanent Representative of Dominica, and her counterpart Ambassador Adela Raz representing their respective governments as they agreed upon enhancing the two nation’s relationship.
One of the areas that the communiqué sought to strengthen was the cooperation between the countries regarding the 2030 Agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With both nations witnessing the impact of the climate crisis, the signing included trading practices and expertise on building resilience. Additionally, the meeting demonstrated the countries’ commitment to developing friendly relations as stated in the UN charter.
Aside from contributing to the growth and development of both nations, the signing also proves Dominica’s commitment to establishing a global community. The island is one of the top countries in the Caribbean to hold high-level talks focused on bilateral relations, which are intrinsically linked with its vast visa-free offering. Holders of Dominica’s passport gain access to roughly 75 percent of the world, comprising major business hubs and popular travel destinations.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit highlighted this achievement during a recent webinar: “Dominica now boasts having visa-free or visa-on-arrival to 143 countries. By the end of 2021, we will certainly increase this by another 25 or so percent.”
This is one of the reasons that makes Dominica’s citizenship so coveted amongst foreign investors. The small island operates one of the world’s oldest Citizenship by Investment Programmes which invites high net-worth individuals and their families to become lifelong citizens of Dominica once investing in its economy. This can be via the government fund or through the purchase of a selected real estate.
Once citizenship is granted, investors gain access to increased travel freedom, higher quality education and healthcare, along with the ability to pass citizenship down for generations to come. In today’s climate, a second citizenship is recognised as an insurance policy in the event of unpredictability. With governments overburdened by the economic fallout of the pandemic and political unrest marring many parts of the world, there is no better time than to invest in a Plan B.