SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – The Dominican Republic has commenced the construction of a 14.5-kilometre section of a perimeter fence along its southern border with Haiti as part of a larger initiative aimed at enhancing border security and tackling smuggling activities. The Ministry of Defence announced the project’s details this past Saturday.
Details of the Border Fence Construction
The new fence, located in the Hoya de Enriquillo area of Independencia province, will reach a height of 3.9 metres (approximately 13 feet) and will include six watchtowers and 35 culverts. Officials have characterized this section as a critical area for monitoring the illegal movement of goods, a longstanding issue in the region.
In addition to the fencing, the project will feature patrol lanes on both sides of the structure, measuring a total combined width of seven metres. These lanes are designed to improve surveillance and facilitate quick responses by security personnel to incidents along the border.
This initiative marks the second phase of the government’s “Strong Border” project, which has previously seen the construction of similar structures in Jimaní. To date, approximately 55 kilometres of border fencing have been completed, with 38 kilometres along the northern border and other sections in Elías Piña, Independencia, and Pedernales.
Defence Minister Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre provided additional details regarding the project, highlighting that it will also incorporate 1,500 solar-powered lights, fibre-optic connections, smart cameras, and a network of drones managed from the ministry’s control centre. The Dominican government has deployed around 11,000 military personnel and enhanced surveillance equipment to bolster the country’s border defenses.
The border fence construction coincides with an ongoing immigration enforcement program initiated in October 2024, which targets the repatriation of up to 10,000 undocumented Haitians each week. Official statistics indicate that 250,429 undocumented Haitians were deported from the Dominican Republic between January and July of this year, amid a continuing political, security, and humanitarian crisis in Haiti.
Efforts to improve border security and curb illegal activities are seen as crucial, especially given the significance of Independencia as a site for one of the principal binational markets. Officials expressed that the fence is expected to facilitate safer and more orderly trade under legal regulations.
Why It Matters
This construction project underscores the Dominican Republic’s commitment to enhancing border security in response to ongoing challenges associated with smuggling and undocumented immigration. The measures implemented could have significant implications for trade, security, and the humanitarian situation at the border with Haiti.
