Dominican Republic starts building border wall with Haiti

TheDominicangovernment on Sunday beganbuildingawallthat will cover almost half of the 392-kilometre (244 miles)borderwithHaiti, its only land neighbour, to stop irregular migration and the smuggling of goods, weapons and drugs.

While the two countries share the island of Hispaniola, they are worlds apart in terms of development.

Crime-plaguedHaitiis one of the poorest nations in the Americas while theDominicanRepublic, a popular Caribbean tourist destination, has prospered in recent decades amid marked political stability.

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ManyHaitians cross theborderclandestinely in search of work in the fields or in the construction industry in theDominicanRepublic.

"The benefit for both nations will be of great importance," saidDominicanPresident Luis Abinader shortly before pushing the button to begin pouring concrete into the foundations of what will be thewallin the province of Dajabón, some 230 kilometres northwest of the capital.

About 500,000Haitians and tens of thousands of their descendants live in theDominicanRepublic, a Spanish-speaking nation of about 11 million people, according to the most recent immigration survey conducted in 2018.

Abinader estimated theborderwallwill reduce the smuggling of commercial goods, weapons and help fight organized crime in both nations.

He started the project, which aims to build a 164-kilometrewall, ahead of the anniversary of the Dominican Republic's independence fromHaition Feb. 27, 1844.

Abinader said the first phase of the project will be completed within nine months at the latest.

The 20-centimetre-thick concretewalltopped by a metal mesh will be 3.9 meters (12.8 ft) high and will have fibre optics for communications, movement sensors, cameras, radars and drones.

The project also includes the construction of 70 watchtowers and 41 access gates for patrolling.