Dominican Republic calls canal construction 'provocation', shuts down border with Haiti

[Eugene]

Source: Miami Herald

Dominican Republic calls canal construction ‘provocation’, shuts down border with Haiti

Jacqueline Charles
Thu, September 14, 2023 at 6:21 PM EDT·7 min read

Calling Haiti’s construction of a canal on a river the two nations share “a provocation,” the president of the Dominican Republic said Thursday he is making good on threats to close the entire border.

As of 6 a.m. Friday, all land, sea and air traffic between the two countries, which share the island of Hispaniola, will be closed, Dominican President Luis Abinader announced Thursday. The shutdown means that at least three daily flights between the two countries will cease, and thousands of Haitian traders who rely on commerce at markets along the border will see their business come to a sudden halt.

The latest conflict between the two neighbors erupted earlier this week when Abinader issued an ultimatum to Haiti: Stop the construction of a canal along the Massacre River in Haiti’s northeast, or risk the border closure.

Hoping to defuse the crisis, Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry dispatched a team of technicians and mid-level diplomats to Santo Domingo on Wednesday. But the delegation returned home Thursday after failing to convince Abinader, who is campaigning for reelection, to back off of his threat.

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Read more: https://news.yahoo.com/dominican-republic-calls-canal-construction-222101379.html