SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — After more than two years without commercial air service, Haiti and the Dominican Republic will resume flights between their nations starting in May, both governments announced in a coordinated statement released Friday.
The agreement will restore connections linking three airports in the Dominican Republic with the airport serving Cap-Haïtien, Haiti’s northern coastal city.
Air service was suspended in March 2024 when Dominican authorities shut down the shared airspace, pointing to widespread violence and instability in Haiti that escalated after the 2021 killing of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. During the closure, only emergency humanitarian aircraft were authorized to operate.
Both nations occupy the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, and their relationship had deteriorated significantly before the flight ban due to disputes over a controversial irrigation project. Haitian business interests had begun building a canal system drawing water from the Massacre River, which flows along the border between the two countries. Dominican officials strongly objected to the construction, claiming it would cause environmental damage and hurt farmers on both sides of the border.
The announcement came after diplomatic meetings that concentrated on immigration issues, border security measures, and commercial relationships between the neighboring countries.
“This measure seeks to facilitate mobility, boost economic ties and strengthen relations between both countries,” the joint statement said following discussions between Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez and his Haitian counterpart, Raina Forbin.
The diplomatic statement also expressed appreciation to international partners, especially the United Nations, for assisting Haitian officials in their work to restore stability and peace within the country.
