October 22, 2021
The Caribbean island of Dominica is presenting its sustainability practices and welcoming international investments on the global stage of the Dubai 2020 Expo. The six-month-long event showcases 191 countries based on the belief that bringing the world together can bring about new perspectives and deliver solutions to global challenges, a feat mastered by this small but exemplary nation.
According to the Dominican Embassy in the United Arab Emirates, the Dominica pavilion showcases “Dominica’s dynamic rich culture and heritage,” including tourism attractions, products from small businesses and creole and indigenous dance. The delegation also highlights a new airport currently under construction that will facilitate direct flights from all parts of the world to the island. The nation also plans to produce geothermal energy by 2023.
Ian Douglas, Dominica’s Minister of Trade, Commerce, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Business and Export Development, said: “The people of Dominica are a resilient lot, as proven by their ability to recover from devastating cyclones that hit the country from time to time. Expo is the right place to raise awareness about our people, as well as the investment opportunities available, including the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme. Through our exposure at Expo 2020, we aim to reach out to new markets, including those in the Middle East and Asia.”
Although halfway across the world, many multinational expats living in the Emirates are now also Dominica citizens. To better accommodate its citizens in the region, the island established a new embassy in the capital, Abu Dhabi, in January 2020. The office provides consular services to Dominican nationals, issuing documentation, emergency notices, tourism advice and other services. The Embassy is “a crucial link between what is in effect the Dominican diaspora here in the UAE and the homeland,” the Prime Minister said during the office’s opening ceremony.
As a result of the success and good reputation of the CBI Programme, investors’ trust in both Dominica and its Programme remains unshaken. For five consecutive years, Dominica’s Programme has ranked best in the world by the Financial Times’ PWM magazine. The country grants successful CBI applicants valuable citizenship benefits like family security, visa-free and visa-on-arrival travel to 75% of the world and growing business opportunities.
Middle Eastern families and single individuals can obtain Dominican citizenship upon investing in the island’s economy, but only if they pass all the due diligence checks. Applicants choose from either making a minimum US$100,000 contribution to the Economic Diversification Fund or an investment worth at least US$200,000 in pre-approved real estate, comprising a selection of luxury hotels.