The Governments of the Dominican Republic and the Portuguese Republic signed on Thursday a Framework Cooperation Agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding for the promotion of bilateral cooperation and support in the areas of science, technology and higher education.
The signing ceremony was led by the President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, and the President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo De Sousa, at the Ambassadors Hall of the National Palace.
The Framework Cooperation Agreement between the Dominican Republic and the Portuguese Republic is a transcendental agreement that opens the doors to a structured bilateral cooperation between both nations.
The objective of this agreement is the promotion of technical, economic, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two countries, through the construction and execution of programs, projects and specific actions in areas of common interest.
This, in accordance with the priorities established in their national economic and social development strategies and policies, promotes the exchange of best practices in each of the Parties.
While the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology of the Portuguese Republic and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology of the Dominican Republic, was 
carried out to promote the development of cooperation between both States in the areas of science, technology and higher education.
The Parties will encourage cooperation activities for the establishment of direct academic and educational relations; the exchange of academic personnel, researchers and technicians in areas of common interest; the joint promotion of seminars, conferences and scientific congresses; exchanges of scholarships; cooperation in the area of higher education through the exchange of information related to the quality of education, among other areas.
The Framework Cooperation Agreement and the Memorandum of Understanding were signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Roberto Álvarez, representing the Dominican Republic, and by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, João Gomes Cravinho, representing the Portuguese Republic.
The signatures were made as part of the agenda of the official visit of the President of the Portuguese Republic to the country.
Decorations
The official agenda also included the presentation of decorations to both presidents.
The decoration awarded by the Dominican Government to President Rebelo De Sousa was the Order of Merit of Duarte, Sanchez and Mella, in the Grade of Grand Cross Gold Plaque. Meanwhile, the decoration granted by the Government of Portugal to President Abinader is the Degree of Grand Collar of the Order of the Infante Don Enrique.
Delegations
The delegation of the Dominican Republic is composed of Vice President Raquel Peña; the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Roberto Álvarez; the Minister of the Presidency, Joel Adrián Santos Echavarría; the Administrative Minister of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza; the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Mipymes, Víctor -Ito- Bisonó; the Minister of Tourism, David Collado; the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Franklin García Fermín, and the Minister of Energy and Mines, Antonio Almonte.
Also, the Vice Minister of Bilateral Foreign Policy, José Julio Gómez, and the Vice Minister of Digital Agenda of the Ministry of the Presidency, José David Montilla; the Executive Director of Public-Private Alliances, Sigmund Freund Mena; of ProDominicana, Biviana Riveiro; of the Innovation Cabinet and general director of the Government Office of Information and Communication Technology, Bartolomé Pujals; of the Dominican Port Authority, Jean Luis Rodríguez, and the extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the Portuguese Republic, Miguel Ángel Prestol.
Meanwhile, the Portuguese delegation is confirmed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, João Gomes Cravinho; the ambassador special envoy, Manuel Cansado Carvalho; the head of the Civil House, Fernando Frutuoso de Melo; the diplomatic consultant, María Amelia Paiva; the military advisor to the President of the Republic, Lieutenant Colonel Anselmo Dias; the International Relations consultant to the President of the Republic, Monica Lisboa; the consultant to the Civil House of the President of the Republic, Paula Almeida; and the deputy to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Margarita Matias.
Source: Presidencia.gob.do
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