JIMANÍ, Dominican Republic — The Dominican Republic has begun construction of a 14.5-kilometre section of its border perimeter fence in Jimaní, as the government moves to strengthen security and control along the frontier with Haiti.

The second stage of the border fence project was launched by Defence Minister Lieutenant General Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre, alongside senior military officials, provincial authorities and other representatives.

The new section will include six watchtowers, 35 sewers and a structure measuring 13 feet in height. Seven-metre-wide patrol roads will also be built on both sides of the fence to improve the movement of military personnel and allow security forces to respond more quickly to incidents.

The project is being constructed in the Hoya de Enriquillo, opposite Lake Azuey, also known as Lake Fondo, an area that authorities have identified as having faced longstanding challenges with the irregular movement of goods and other illegal activities.

The Dominican Army and the Specialised Corps for Land Border Security (Cesfront) currently operate in the area. Authorities say the new infrastructure will further strengthen their ability to monitor and control the border.

Fernández Onofre said the project forms part of the government’s “Strong Border” strategy, ordered by President Luis Abinader to improve security, infrastructure and development along the border.

The strategy combines military presence, surveillance technology, infrastructure, mobility and coordination between government agencies.

Jimaní is also an important commercial point on the Dominican Republic-Haiti border, home to one of the main binational markets and a major crossing for heavy vehicles, trucks and containers.

The government says the new section will support efforts to combat smuggling while creating a more organised and secure environment for legal trade and protecting producers, traders, workers and residents in border communities.

Representatives of the Observatory of Migration Policies, led by its executive president Miguel Franjul, and the president of the Duartiano Institute, Wilson Gómez Ramírez, attended the launch.

The delegation later travelled with Fernández Onofre to Dajabón, where they inspected another section of the border perimeter fence currently under construction.

The visit provided an opportunity to assess progress on the northern section of the fence and its integration with surveillance, patrol and other security systems.

The Dominican government says the ongoing work in Jimaní and Dajabón forms part of its broader effort to strengthen border infrastructure and the operational capabilities of the Armed Forces while maintaining control of the country’s territory.