Haiti and Dominican Republic to reopen shared airspace after 2-year shutdown

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Haiti and the Dominican Republic have agreed to reopen their airspace starting in May, allowing flights between their countries for the first time in more than two years.

The decision, announced April 17 in a joint statement released by the Haitian government, clears the way for connections between three Dominican airports and one Cap-Haïtien in northern Haiti.

The countries share the same Caribbean island, called Hispaniola. 

In March 2024, the Dominican Republic closed its airspace with Haiti for commercial flights, citing the high levels of insecurity in the neighboring nation after the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. It only permitted humanitarian flights.

In the months before the airspace closure, bilateral relations had been severely strained due to the conflict sparked by the construction of an irrigation canal in Haiti fed by the Massacre River, which runs through both countries. The Dominican Republic opposed the project, arguing that the construction would have negative environmental impacts and harm agricultural producers in both nations.

Friday’s decision followed bilateral talks focused primarily on border control and surveillance, migration and trade.

“This measure seeks to facilitate mobility, boost economic ties and strengthen relations between both countries,” according to the joint statement issued after a meeting between foreign ministers Roberto Álvarez of the Dominican Republic and Raina Forbin of Haiti.

The statement also thanked the international community, particularly the United Nations, for supporting Haitian authorities in their efforts to pacify the country.

The post Haiti and Dominican Republic to reopen shared airspace after 2-year shutdown appeared first on The Haitian Times.