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The Star
4 days ago
- The Star
Mexico, Dominican Republic propose joint efforts to fight sargassum seaweed
FILE PHOTO: A drone view shows a beach covered with sargassum seaweed, a type of algae, in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic July 9, 2025. REUTERS/Erika Santelices/File Photo MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -The Dominican Republic's Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez and top Mexican officials have proposed creating a bilateral roundtable to address the environmental impacts of sargassum seaweed on the countries' Caribbean coastlines, his office said on Wednesday. WHY IT'S IMPORTANT Hotel workers are struggling to keep beaches clean as mountains of pungent, decomposing sargassum accumulate on Caribbean coasts, releasing irritant gases, smothering marine ecosystems and hitting occupancy rates at seaside resorts. CONTEXT Atlantic sargassum blooms, a type of algae, have dramatically increased over the past decade, fueled by nutrient pollution exacerbated by deforestation, warmer ocean temperatures and changes in sea currents pushing the spread westwards into the Caribbean. KEY QUOTE "They proposed the creation of a bilateral inter-institutional roundtable between both countries' foreign and environment ministries to address the environmental threat posed by sargassum," the Dominican government said in a statement. BY THE NUMBERS The World Travel and Tourism Council estimates tourism could boost the economies of Mexico and the Dominican Republic by $281 billion and $21 billion respectively in 2025, both breaking fresh records and representing about 15% of GDP. In June, scientists at Mexico's UNAM university warned of sargassum levels close to double 2018 peaks, adding that some 10% - or 400,000 metric tons - could hit Caribbean coastlines throughout 2025. A quarter could arrive in Mexico, they said. WHAT'S NEXT Several nations are looking to repurpose sargassum into usable materials such as biofuels, fertilizers and bioplastics, but removing toxins and heavy metals such as arsenic from the seaweed is costly and research remains in early stages. There has been limited funding for projects seeking to repurpose sargassum, and the unpredictability of its blooms remains a barrier to investors looking for consistent harvests. (Reporting by Sarah Morland; Editing by Jamie Freed)
Straits Times
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Dominican Republic, Kenya call for funds for struggling Haiti security effort
Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez speaks after signing a bilateral agreement in support of Kenyan police officers deployed in the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, May 12, 2025. REUTERS/Erika Santelices Kenya's Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez walk on the day they sign a bilateral agreement in support of Kenyan police officers deployed in the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, May 12, 2025. REUTERS/Erika Santelices Kenya's Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez speak after signing a bilateral agreement in support of Kenyan police officers deployed in the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, May 12, 2025. REUTERS/Erika Santelices Kenya's Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez sign a bilateral agreement in support of Kenyan police officers deployed in the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, May 12, 2025. REUTERS/Erika Santelices Kenya's Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez pose for a picture after signing a bilateral agreement in support of Kenyan police officers deployed in the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, May 12, 2025. REUTERS/Erika Santelices The top diplomats from Kenya and the Dominican Republic met in Santo Domingo on Monday and called on the international community to fulfill and expand its promised funding for the UN-backed security mission in neighboring Haiti. WHY IT'S IMPORTANT Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez and his Kenyan counterpart Musalia Mudavadi warned that the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti is struggling to fight the country's worsening gang violence effectively due to a lack of funding and logistical support. BY THE NUMBERS Kenya deployed officers to the MSS in June 2024. The mission includes around 1,000 personnel, with approximately 75% from Kenya. In the first three months of 2025 alone, over 1,600 people were killed in Haiti, and more than 1 million displaced, according to UN estimates. KEY QUOTES Both ministers "acknowledged that the Mission has been unable to be more effective due to the lack of financial and material resources necessary for the full and complete deployment of the troops stationed there," according to an official statement. They urged the international community to "fulfill the contributions offered, and even increase them, so that the mission can fully operate." CONTEXT Heavily armed gangs have expanded their control in Haiti this year as the MSS and local police struggle to contain escalating violence. The mission, led by Kenya and authorized by the UN Security Council in 2023, remains only partially deployed due to unmet funding pledges. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
