Estamos viviendo una época de oro en la relaciones entre Jamaica y RD
"La misma estrategia exitosa está siendo aplicada en Bahamas: conectar instituciones, personas y empresas; servir de puente y promover sinergias que beneficien a ambas partes, generando una relación ganar-ganar.".
Angie Martínez, licenciada en Derecho en la Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, cuenta con 21 años de carrera diplomática al servicio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de la República Dominicana. Inició en el año 2003 cuando fue designada en el Servicio Exterior por el ex presidente de la República, Ingeniero Hipólito Mejía, en la Embajada Dominicana en Madrid, uno de los destinos más importantes para el país.
Luego siguió París, Francia, la sede de las Naciones Unidas en Ginebra, Suiza; Washington, DC; y finalmente Jamaica y la Mancomunidad de Bahama.
”En Madrid fui la responsable de negociar una gran cantidad de acuerdos de colaboración académicos entre el gobierno dominicano y universidades españolas de prestigio. En París fui la asistente ejecutiva del embajador y llevaba una variedad de temas transversales que me permitieron conocer a fondo el manejo de una embajada. En Suiza viví el sueño de trabajar en la sede de las Naciones Unidas en Ginebra, encargándome de uno de los temas que más me apasiona, el de los derechos humanos. En Washington, DC, fui la responsable de los temas de educación y relaciones con los centros de pensamiento y como tal impulsé y coordiné importantes proyectos, tales como Líderes Visitantes, Aula Virtual, Embassy Adoption Program, Programa de Puertas Abiertas, entre otros. Asimismo, estaba a cargo de los temas de comunicación y prensa, y apoyaba áreas como la sección política”, señala Martínez.
¿Cómo calificaría la experiencia desde que llegó a Jamaica?
Dicen que las primeras experiencias nunca se olvidan, pero ciertamente mi experiencia en Jamaica ha sido maravillosa e inolvidable. No importa lo que me depare el futuro, Jamaica siempre tendrá un lugar muy especial en mi corazón. Nunca olvidaré los lindos momentos vividos, las grandes lecciones aprendidas y las inmensas satisfacciones de ver cumplidas metas significativas en las relaciones bilaterales. Jamaica se ha convertido en un segundo hogar, aquí tenemos amigos que se han convertido en familia y contamos con el apoyo incondicional de un gobierno que nos ha abierto las puertas para concretar logros transcendentales.
¿Cuáles han sido los retos profesionales que ha tenido que enfrentar como embajadora de República Dominicana en este país del Caribe?
La nueva visión de política exterior dominicana se propuso recomponer los lazos con los países del Caribe, así que desde la Embajada en Jamaica, un país fundamental en la región, por su liderazgo e importancia, teníamos que cumplir con el mandato del gobierno dominicano, no sin enfrentarnos a varios desafíos:
El primer gran reto fue unir a dos países que geográficamente se encuentran muy cerca, pero que históricamente se han mantenido distantes. La nueva visión del presidente Luis Abinader y del Canciller Roberto Álvarez nos manda a corregir eso y a trabajar en un relanzamiento de nuestras relaciones con el Caribe. Pienso que hemos cumplido fielmente con ese mandato, pues actualmente estamos siendo testigos de una nueva era en nuestras relaciones bilaterales, las cuales pasan por un dinamismo sin precedentes, en donde la parte comercial ha sido, sin duda, la gran protagonista.
Para unir a ambos países debíamos enfrentarnos al gran reto de la falta de conectividad en la región. Después de mucho esfuerzo y gracias al apoyo de nuestras autoridades dominicanas y jamaicanas pudimos romper con este mito. A nivel marítimo pasamos de 15 horas de tránsito para el transporte de mercancías a 2-3 días puerta a puerta, lo que ha jugado un papel crucial en el incremento exponencial de nuestras exportaciones. Luego de un año y medio de gestiones diplomáticas, logramos el permiso de las autoridades jamaicanas para que las aerolíneas dominicanas pudieran iniciar vuelos directos, y gracias al apoyo incondicional de Arajet, dimos el paso trascendental de establecer la conectividad aérea mediante un vuelo directo que une a ambos países en sólo una hora y 10 minutos.
Otro reto fue lograr que Jamaica nos viera como sus socios y aliados naturales. El intercambio comercial ha crecido de manera exponencial. Las exportaciones dominicanas pasaron de 74 millones de dólares a superar los 130 millones de dólares al finalizar el año 2022. Pero lo mismo puede decirse de Jamaica, quien al finalizar el 2023 tiene la proyección de multiplicar por 10 sus exportaciones a la República Dominicana.
Finalmente, hemos tenido que enfrentar el reto de la naturaleza propia de una embajada, pues en tanto que instituciones públicas tenemos presupuesto limitado y recurso humano limitado. Somos un equipo pequeño con una agenda muy ambiciosa por cumplir.
Ahora también es embajadora en Bahamas, ¿cómo hace para cumplir con ambas funciones y además con su familia?
Con Bahamas tenemos grandes expectativas, es la primera vez que se tiene un embajador desde el establecimiento de las relaciones diplomáticas y ambos países están comprometidos en profundizar sus relaciones.
En Bahamas estamos aplicando el mismo "librito" que nos ha dado resultado en Jamaica: conectar instituciones, personas, empresas, servir de puente y promover sinergias que resulten beneficiosa para ambas partes, generando una relación ganar-ganar que nos permita avanzar en la dirección correcta.
Con respecto a cómo me hago para cumplir con ambas funciones y con mi familia, no te voy a negar que es difícil, pero de lo que se trata es de buscar un balance. Todas las mujeres lo tenemos muy difícil en el mundo de hoy. No solamente somos madres, sino también profesionales a tiempo completo, líderes, esposas, hijas, hermanas, amigas.
Mi familia es mi tesoro y por mucho que esté 24/7 enfocada en mis responsabilidades, siempre saco tiempo de calidad para ellos cuando debo estar o me necesitan estoy al 100 %.
¿Cómo ha sido el apoyo de su familia, padres, esposo e hijo ante su carrera?
Mi familia me ha apoyado 100%. Mi esposo por ejemplo es mi mejor mitad y mi mejor consejero. Ambos compartimos el amor de servir a nuestro país. Mi esposo es diplomático de carrera, así que entiende perfectamente la naturaleza delicada de este oficio y lo demandante que es.
Tengo también el apoyo 100% de mis padres, quienes me respaldan incondicionalmente y me hacen siempre la vida más fácil.
Con respecto a mis hijos, cómo comprenderán, ellos quisieran tener a mami todo el tiempo con ellos y no son muy fans de mis largas jornadas laborales o viajes de trabajo. Pero cuando le explico el impacto que nuestro trabajo tiene para el país, lo entienden, lo valoran y se quedan más tranquilos.
Además, tengo el apoyo fundamental de un ángel que nos cayó del cielo y que vino a traer alegría y bendiciones a nuestro hogar, Nicole Medina, la hija que nunca tuve, la nana de los niños, mi mano derecha, mi todo.
¿Cuál es esa pasión que la impulsa día a día?
Sin duda uno de los grandes motores de mi vida es el gran amor hacia mi país y hacia mi gente. El deseo profundo de ser un agente de cambio y aportar mi granito de arena para la construcción de un mundo mejor y de una mejor, más justa y próspera República Dominicana, con mayores oportunidades para todas y todos.
¿Cuál es la lección más importante que ha aprendido en su carrera?
En mi carrera he aprendido varias lecciones:
- Cuando se quiere SIEMPRE se puede y que no hay nada imposible cuando vas de la mano de Dios y mantienes la fe; cuando la voluntad es verdadera y lo acompañas de compromiso, esfuerzo, perseverancia y el seguimiento necesario para lograr que las cosas sucedan.
- Que el símbolo de la diplomacia no necesariamente debe ser la tortuga. La diplomacia puede ser ágil y efectiva cuando se adopta con una visión clara, una dirección firme y un plan de trabajo y estrategias correctas.
- Que con la dosis correcta de amor por tu país, formación, creatividad y perseverancia, puedes superar cualquier desafío y lograr grandes cosas.
- Que no hay países pequeños ni países grandes, ya que el trabajo realizado es lo que otorga la verdadera dimensión al puesto.
- Que actuar como puente y conectar personas, instituciones o empresas siempre da resultado.
- Que una visión clara, una estrategia bien definida y un plan de trabajo sólido constituyen los cimientos del éxito en cualquier proyecto o iniciativa.
- Que en cualquier espacio, si estamos dispuestos a buscarlas, crearlas y aprovecharlas, podemos descubrir valiosas oportunidades para contribuir al progreso y bienestar de nuestro país.
- Que el tamaño de tu equipo no dicta la magnitud de tus resultados.
- Y que una gestión inteligente de los recursos económicos y humanos, incluso cuando son limitados, puede ser el catalizador para tener logros que superen las expectativas convencionales.
"Soy un ser humano con un profundo deseo de dejar una huella positiva en el mundo y ser un agente de cambio capaz de impactar las vidas de aquellos que más lo necesitan. Mi compromiso es contribuir de manera constante al progreso y bienestar de nuestra nación y su gente".
We are living the golden age of relations between Jamaica and the DR
Angie Martínez ,Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Dominican Republic to Jamaica and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas
The same successful strategy is being applied in the Bahamas: connect institutions, people and businesses; serve as a bridge and promote synergies that benefit both parties, generating a win-win relationship.
Angie Martínez, a law graduate from the Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo, has 20 years of diplomatic career in the service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic. She began in 2003 when she was appointed in the Foreign Service by the former President of the Republic, Engineer Hipólito Mejía, at the Dominican Embassy in Madrid, one of the most important destinations for the country.
Then followed Paris, France, the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland; Washington, DC; Jamaica and, finally, the Commonwealth of Bahama.
"In Madrid I was responsible for negotiating a large number of academic collaboration agreements between the Dominican government and prestigious Spanish universities. In Paris I was the executive assistant to the ambassador. In Switzerland, I lived the dream of working at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, in charge of one of the issues I am most passionate about, human rights. In Washington, DC, I was responsible for education and think tank relations and coordinated important projects of our embassy, such as Visiting Leaders, Virtual Classroom, Embassy Adoption Program, the Embassy Open Doors Program, among others. I was also in charge of press issues and supported areas such as the political section," Martinez says.
How would you rate your experience since arriving in Jamaica?
They say that first experiences are never forgotten, but certainly my experience in Jamaica has been wonderful and unforgettable. No matter what the future holds, Jamaica will always have a very special place in my heart. I will never forget the beautiful moments experienced, the great lessons learned and the immense satisfaction of seeing significant goals accomplished in bilateral relations. Jamaica has become a second home, here we have friends who have become family and we have the unconditional support of a government that has opened doors for us to make significant achievements.
What have been the professional challenges you have had to face as ambassador of the Dominican Republic in this Caribbean country?
The new vision of Dominican foreign policy proposed to rebuild ties with Caribbean countries, so, from the Embassy in Jamaica, a key country in the region, for its leadership and importance, we had to fulfill the mandate of the Dominican government, not without facing several challenges:
The first major challenge was to unite two countries that are geographically very close, but historically have remained distant. The new vision of President Luis Abinader and Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez sends us to correct that and to work on a relaunching of our relations with the Caribbean. I think we have faithfully fulfilled that mandate, as we are currently witnessing the birth of a new era in our bilateral relations, which are going through an unprecedented dynamism, where the commercial part has been, undoubtedly, the great protagonist.
In order to unite both countries we had to face the great challenge of the lack of connectivity in the region. After much effort and thanks to the support of our Dominican and Jamaican authorities we were able to break this myth. At the maritime level, we went from 15 hours of transit time for the transportation of goods to 2-3 days door to door, which has played a crucial role in the exponential increase of our exports. After a year and a half of diplomatic efforts, we obtained permission from the Jamaican authorities so that Dominican airlines could start direct flights, and thanks to the unconditional support of Arajet, we took the transcendental step of establishing air connectivity through a direct flight that connects both countries in only one hour and 10 minutes.
Another challenge was to make Jamaica see us as its natural partners and allies. Trade has grown exponentially. Dominican exports went from US$74 million to over US$130 million by the end of 2022. But the same can be said of Jamaica, which by the end of 2023 is projected to multiply its exports to the Dominican Republic by 10 times.
Finally, we have had to face the challenge of the very nature of an embassy, because as public institutions we have a limited budget and limited human resources. We are a small team with a very ambitious agenda to accomplish.
Now you are also ambassador to the Bahamas, how do you manage to fulfill both functions and also with your family?
With the Bahamas we have great expectations, it is the first time we have had an ambassador since the establishment of diplomatic relations and both countries are committed to deepen their relations.
With the Bahamas we are applying the same "little book" that has given us results in Jamaica: connecting institutions, connecting people, companies, serving as a bridge and promoting synergies that are beneficial to both parties, generating a win-win relationship that allows us to move in the right direction.
Regarding how I manage to fulfill both functions and my family, I will not deny that it is difficult, but it is all about finding a balance. All women have it very difficult in today's world. We are not only mothers, but also full-time professionals, wives, daughters, sisters, friends.
My family is my treasure and as much as I am 24/7 focused on my responsibilities, I always make quality time for them and when they need me I am 100%.
How has your family, parents, husband and son been supportive of your career?
My family has been 100% supportive. My husband for example is my better half and my best advisor. We both share the love of serving our country. My husband is a career diplomat, so he fully understands the delicate nature of this job and how demanding it is.
I also have the 100% support of my parents, who support me unconditionally and always make my life easier.
As for my children, you understand, they would like to have mommy with them all the time and are not big fans of my business trips. But when I explain to them the impact that our work has for our country, they understand it, value it and are more relaxed.
In addition, I have the fundamental support of an angel who fell from heaven and came to bring joy and blessings to our home, Nicole Medina, the daughter I never had, the children's nanny, my right hand, my everything.
What is the passion that drives you every day?
Undoubtedly one of the great driving forces of my life is the great love for my country and my people. The deep desire to be an agent of change and contribute my grain of sand for the construction of a better, more just and prosperous Dominican Republic, with greater opportunities for all.
What is the most important lesson you have learned in your career?
In my career I have learned several lessons:
Angie Martínez, a law graduate from the Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo, has 20 years of diplomatic career in the service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic. She began in 2003 when she was appointed in the Foreign Service by the former President of the Republic, Engineer Hipólito Mejía, at the Dominican Embassy in Madrid, one of the most important destinations for the country.
Then followed Paris, France, the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland; Washington, DC; Jamaica and, finally, the Commonwealth of Bahama.
"In Madrid I was responsible for negotiating a large number of academic collaboration agreements between the Dominican government and prestigious Spanish universities. In Paris I was the executive assistant to the ambassador. In Switzerland, I lived the dream of working at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, in charge of one of the issues I am most passionate about, human rights. In Washington, DC, I was responsible for education and think tank relations and coordinated important projects of our embassy, such as Visiting Leaders, Virtual Classroom, Embassy Adoption Program, the Embassy Open Doors Program, among others. I was also in charge of press issues and supported areas such as the political section," Martinez says.
How would you rate your experience since arriving in Jamaica?
They say that first experiences are never forgotten, but certainly my experience in Jamaica has been wonderful and unforgettable. No matter what the future holds, Jamaica will always have a very special place in my heart. I will never forget the beautiful moments experienced, the great lessons learned and the immense satisfaction of seeing significant goals accomplished in bilateral relations. Jamaica has become a second home, here we have friends who have become family and we have the unconditional support of a government that has opened doors for us to make significant achievements.
What have been the professional challenges you have had to face as ambassador of the Dominican Republic in this Caribbean country?
The new vision of Dominican foreign policy proposed to rebuild ties with Caribbean countries, so, from the Embassy in Jamaica, a key country in the region, for its leadership and importance, we had to fulfill the mandate of the Dominican government, not without facing several challenges:
The first major challenge was to unite two countries that are geographically very close, but historically have remained distant. The new vision of President Luis Abinader and Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez sends us to correct that and to work on a relaunching of our relations with the Caribbean. I think we have faithfully fulfilled that mandate, as we are currently witnessing the birth of a new era in our bilateral relations, which are going through an unprecedented dynamism, where the commercial part has been, undoubtedly, the great protagonist.
In order to unite both countries we had to face the great challenge of the lack of connectivity in the region. After much effort and thanks to the support of our Dominican and Jamaican authorities we were able to break this myth. At the maritime level, we went from 15 hours of transit time for the transportation of goods to 2-3 days door to door, which has played a crucial role in the exponential increase of our exports. After a year and a half of diplomatic efforts, we obtained permission from the Jamaican authorities so that Dominican airlines could start direct flights, and thanks to the unconditional support of Arajet, we took the transcendental step of establishing air connectivity through a direct flight that connects both countries in only one hour and 10 minutes.
Another challenge was to make Jamaica see us as its natural partners and allies. Trade has grown exponentially. Dominican exports went from US$74 million to over US$130 million by the end of 2022. But the same can be said of Jamaica, which by the end of 2023 is projected to multiply its exports to the Dominican Republic by 10 times.
Finally, we have had to face the challenge of the very nature of an embassy, because as public institutions we have a limited budget and limited human resources. We are a small team with a very ambitious agenda to accomplish.
Now you are also ambassador to the Bahamas, how do you manage to fulfill both functions and also with your family?
With the Bahamas we have great expectations, it is the first time we have had an ambassador since the establishment of diplomatic relations and both countries are committed to deepen their relations.
With the Bahamas we are applying the same "little book" that has given us results in Jamaica: connecting institutions, connecting people, companies, serving as a bridge and promoting synergies that are beneficial to both parties, generating a win-win relationship that allows us to move in the right direction.
Regarding how I manage to fulfill both functions and my family, I will not deny that it is difficult, but it is all about finding a balance. All women have it very difficult in today's world. We are not only mothers, but also full-time professionals, wives, daughters, sisters, friends.
My family is my treasure and as much as I am 24/7 focused on my responsibilities, I always make quality time for them and when they need me I am 100%.
How has your family, parents, husband and son been supportive of your career?
My family has been 100% supportive. My husband for example is my better half and my best advisor. We both share the love of serving our country. My husband is a career diplomat, so he fully understands the delicate nature of this job and how demanding it is.
I also have the 100% support of my parents, who support me unconditionally and always make my life easier.
As for my children, you understand, they would like to have mommy with them all the time and are not big fans of my business trips. But when I explain to them the impact that our work has for our country, they understand it, value it and are more relaxed.
In addition, I have the fundamental support of an angel who fell from heaven and came to bring joy and blessings to our home, Nicole Medina, the daughter I never had, the children's nanny, my right hand, my everything.
What is the passion that drives you every day?
Undoubtedly one of the great driving forces of my life is the great love for my country and my people. The deep desire to be an agent of change and contribute my grain of sand for the construction of a better, more just and prosperous Dominican Republic, with greater opportunities for all.
What is the most important lesson you have learned in your career?
In my career I have learned several lessons:
- When you want to ALWAYS can and that nothing is impossible when you go hand in hand with God and keep the faith, when the will is true and you accompany it with commitment, effort, perseverance and the necessary follow-up to make things happen.
- That the symbol of diplomacy does not necessarily have to be the turtle. Diplomacy can be agile and effective when it is adopted with a clear vision, a firm direction and the right work plan and strategies.
- That with the right dose of love for your country, training, creativity and perseverance, you can overcome any challenge that comes your way.
- That there are no small countries and no big countries, since the work done is what gives the true dimension to the position.
- That acting as a bridge and connecting people, institutions or companies always pays off.
- That with the right dose of creativity and love for our country, great things can be achieved.
- That a clear vision, a well-defined strategy and a solid work plan are the foundation for success in any project or initiative.
- That in any space, if we are willing to look for them, create them and take advantage of them, we can discover valuable opportunities to contribute to the progress and well-being of our country.
- That the size of your team does not dictate the magnitude of your results.
- And that intelligent management of economic and human resources, even when they are limited, can be the catalyst for achievements that exceed conventional expectations.
"I am a human being with a deep desire to leave a positive footprint in the world and to be an agent of change capable of impacting the lives of those who need it most. My commitment is to consistently contribute to the progress and well-being of our nation and its people".