Inaugural meeting of the Cabinet to Combat Sargassum

Santo Domingo.- The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MMARN) orchestrated the inaugural meeting of the Cabinet to Combat Sargassum, aiming to coordinate the implementation of public policies to mitigate and control this macroalgae along the coasts of the Dominican Republic.

Led by the Ministers of Tourism, David Collado, and the Environment, Miguel Ceara Hatton, the work session included members of the cabinet established by Decree 379-23.

During the meeting, overarching guidelines for action coordination and the institutional performance methodology were established. The ministers concurred on adopting a comprehensive approach to combat sargassum, recognizing it as a multifaceted challenge requiring prevention, mitigation, and adaptation measures.

They emphasized the necessity of garnering support from all involved sectors, including the public sector, private sector, and civil society.

Apart from the Ministers of Tourism and Environment, the Cabinet to Combat Sargassum comprises representatives from Agriculture, Economy, Planning and Development, the executive vice president of the National Council for Climate Change and Clean Development Mechanism (CNCCMDL), the general commander of the Dominican Republic Navy, a representative from the Ministry of the Presidency, a representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a representative from the Hotel and Tourism Association (Asonahores), and a representative from the National Authority for Maritime Affairs.

Vice Minister of Coastal and Marine Affairs, José Ramón Reyes López, disclosed that the incidence of sargassum on Caribbean coasts is increasingly frequent. In the coming days, educational institutions, including universities and higher education institutes, will be engaged to harness their expertise in studying the sargassum phenomenon and its environmental and socioeconomic impact.

The inaugural meeting, held in the Multipurpose Room of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, was attended by key figures such as David Llibre, president of Asonahores; Jimmy García Saviñón, president of the National Maritime Affairs Authority, and Segundo Ventura García, deputy commander general of the Dominican Navy. Vice ministers from the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development, Tourism, and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources were also present, including Domingo García, Patricia Mejía, Carlos Peguero, and Milagros Decamps.