Governor Hochul Meets with Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader and Welcomes Dominican Delegation to New York State During 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly

Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader said, "Saving and protecting the lives of Dominicans is a top priority for our government, and we highly value this collaboration agreement with the Governor of New York, which advances that objective."

Consul General of the Dominican Republic in NY Jesús Vásquez Martínez said, "This initiative reflects the strength of a relationship built over years, which today continues to advance toward increasingly concrete areas of collaboration, training and knowledge exchange."

New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Terry O'Leary said, "New York is home to some of the nation's most experienced emergency management professionals who have dedicated their lives to keeping their communities safe. Thanks to Governor Hochul's record investments in emergency management staff and training, we are proud to partner with Dr. Alacantara and the New York State Bridge Authority to host this delegation of public safety professionals from the Dominican Republic at our State Preparedness Training Center. By sharing our expertise in preparedness, search and rescue, emergency communications and recovery, we are helping to build safer, more resilient communities in both New York State and the Dominican Republic."

New York State Bridge Authority Executive Director Dr. Minosca Alcantara said, "The people of the Dominican Republic and New York have long shared strong ties rooted in our communities, history, and shared commitment to public service. That relationship was further strengthened through the historic Declaration of Intent signed by Governor Hochul and President Abinader last year, which established a framework for greater cooperation in areas including disaster preparedness, emergency response and mitigation. This week's training visit is a meaningful opportunity to build on that commitment by bringing together emergency operations professionals from New York and the Dominican Republic to exchange knowledge, share best practices and strengthen our ability to prepare for and respond to emergencies. These kinds of partnerships not only deepen the ties between our two governments, but also help ensure that we can learn from one another and better protect the communities we serve."

NYSBA Board of Commissioners Chair Joan McDonald said, "This week's visit offers a unique opportunity for our state to share its expertise in emergency response and infrastructure management with a nation that many New Yorkers are closely connected to. I applaud Governor Hochul, Dr. Alcantara, and Commissioner O'Leary for their leadership on this initiative, as well as to all who coordinated the logistics to make this international exchange and training exercise a reality. I'm sure this will not only be of invaluable benefit to the Dominican Republic, but also a chance for New York to continue learning and strengthen its own resiliency."

Throughout the five-day summit, which began on Monday, the delegation will be engaging in a rigorous curriculum featuring presentations, hands-on demonstrations, and tactical exercises led by experts from DHSES (including the Office of Emergency Management, Office of Fire Prevention and Control, Office of Interoperable and Emergency Communications, Disaster Recovery and the Training/UAS program), NYSBA, the New York State Department of State and the University at Albany, SUNY.