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Energy and Mining Attract More Than 40% of Foreign Investment in Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic's energy and mining industries accounted for more than 40% of the country's foreign direct investment during the first half of 2026, reflecting continued investor confidence in the nation's economic stability and long-term growth strategy.
The energy and mining sectors remained the leading recipients of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Dominican Republic during the first six months of 2026, attracting a combined 40.2% of total inflows, according to Energy and Mines Minister Joel Santos.
Preliminary figures from the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic (BCRD) show that the country received US$3.2767 billion in foreign direct investment between January and June, an increase of US$233.4 million, or 7.7%, compared with the same period in 2025.
The energy sector led all industries with US$910.87 million in investment, representing 27.8% of the national total. Mining followed with US$406.29 million, accounting for another 12.4%.
“This performance reaffirms investors’ confidence in the country’s stability, its regulatory framework, and the government’s energy transition strategy,” Santos said. “The cumulative results from 2025 and the first half of this year confirm the leadership of the energy and mining sectors within the national economy.”
Energy Expansion Drives Investment
Santos attributed the strong investment performance to the transformation of the Dominican Republic’s energy sector in recent years.
Installed electricity generation capacity increased from 4,921 megawatts (MW) in 2020 to 7,120 MW in 2025. During the same period, renewable energy’s share of the country’s electricity mix rose from 11% to 29%, highlighting the government’s push toward cleaner and more sustainable energy sources.
The minister noted that the country added 1,138 MW of new generating capacity in 2025 alone, including 697 MW from renewable energy projects, primarily solar and wind facilities. He said these developments have positioned the Dominican Republic among the most dynamic energy markets in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Mining Remains a Key Economic Pillar
According to Santos, the mining industry continued to be one of the fastest-growing sectors of the Dominican economy, expanding 18.1% year over year in June and posting cumulative growth of 11.3% during the first half of 2026.
He said mining, particularly gold production, remains one of the country’s largest contributors to government revenue through taxes and other fiscal payments while also ranking among the Dominican Republic’s leading export industries.
The sector also attracted US$406.29 million in foreign direct investment during the first half of the year, underscoring investor confidence in its long-term potential.
Larimar Production Increases
Santos also highlighted growth in the production of larimar, the Dominican Republic’s national gemstone. Output reached 188,696 pounds between January and June 2026, a result he attributed to initiatives aimed at improving extraction methods, commercialization, and value-added processing.
The minister said these efforts have strengthened the gemstone’s production chain, creating jobs, supporting local economies, and increasing mining’s contribution to the country’s overall economic development.
He added that sustained foreign investment continues to be supported by the Dominican Republic’s macroeconomic and political stability, legal certainty, investment incentives, infrastructure modernization, telecommunications development, and public policies designed to enhance investor confidence.
