At the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 23, 2026, Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona, President of the Dominican Republic, emphasized the need for international unity and clarity amid global challenges. In his speech, he congratulated Khalilur Rahman on his election as President of the 81st Session and thanked UN Secretary-General António Guterres for his dedication to peace during his final session in leadership.
Abinader highlighted the Dominican Republic’s acute awareness of vulnerability as a developing island nation. He pointed to rising food and energy prices, exacerbated by conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, which directly affect the island’s families. “We advocate de-escalation, freedom of navigation, and for a diplomatic solution that prevents nuclear proliferation in the region,” he stated.
The president called for a renewed commitment to a rules-based international order, stressing the importance of representation, peacekeeping operations, and support for developing countries. He expressed support for the UN80 initiative and reiterated that reforms require adequate resources, noting that the Dominican Republic has fully met its financial commitments to the UN this year.
Abinader also addressed the pressing need to reform peacekeeping operations, particularly in light of the crisis in Haiti, which he described as a significant regional threat. “Since 2021, the Dominican Republic has warned that this crisis affects the peace and security of the region,” he said. He expressed gratitude to member nations involved in supporting efforts to establish a gang suppression force in Haiti, while stressing that urgent action is necessary to fulfill the mandates of the UN Security Council.
He reported alarming violence in Haiti, citing a recent incident in which gangs killed 47 people, including children. “This Assembly cannot resign itself to seeing massacres become the norm for the long-suffering Haitian people,” he remarked, urging for the immediate deployment of necessary resources to support the mandated force.
Turning to domestic progress, Abinader shared that the Dominican Republic has successfully reduced poverty levels from 25.8% in 2019 to 14.6% in mid-2026. He emphasized the importance of sustainable development and the necessity of integrating a multidimensional approach to measuring progress beyond gross domestic product (GDP) alone.
Abinader concluded with a call for collaborative action on pressing issues like climate change, highlighting the urgency of addressing sea-level rise and the impacts of sargassum on Caribbean tourism. “Let us act now and work together for the well-being of our peoples,” he urged, advocating for a United Nations capable of meeting current and future challenges.
