Corporación Zona Franca Santiago announces the integration of its existing free trade zone and future developments into the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) global network.
Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. July 3, 2026 — During the Americas Investment Forum organized by PRODOMINICANA, Corporación Zona Franca Santiago announced that its free trade zone and its current developments will become part of the WTCA global network.
Speaking at the forum in Santo Domingo, Martín Ibarra, the corporation’s global strategic advisor, said that the Dominican Republic has a historic opportunity to strengthen its regional leadership in free trade zones and establish itself as a leading investment destination in the Americas. He shared this vision during his keynote address, “The Santiago Model: Building the Next Business City of the Americas.”
Mr. Ibarra noted during his presentation that the country’s hosting of the 2027 World Free Zones Organization Annual International Conference marks the beginning of a new chapter for the sector. It also provides an ideal platform to advance a national agenda focused on strengthening competitiveness, modernizing the free trade zone model, and positioning the Dominican Republic as Latin America’s leading destination for investment and business development.
In his keynote address, Mr. Ibarra presented the vision behind Santiago Business City, the long-term urban and economic development strategy of Corporación Zona Franca Santiago. This strategy is designed to establish Santiago as a leading business destination in the Americas and a competitive player in the global economy.
Mr. Ibarra explained that few new cities have been developed across the region in recent decades, creating a unique opportunity for Santiago to pioneer a new model of business-centered urban development. “Santiago offers a unique combination of strategic location, economic dynamism, and geographic advantages,” said Mr. Ibarra. “Among these advantages are its resilience to hurricanes and the absence of saline environmental conditions, making it an ideal location for high-value manufacturing and advanced industries.”
One of the conference’s most significant announcements was the integration of Corporación Zona Franca Santiago’s free trade zone and future developments into the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) network. This milestone makes the organization the first free trade zone in Central America and the Caribbean, and the fourth in Latin America, to join the WTCA network. It significantly strengthens the organization’s ability to connect businesses, attract investment, and create new international business opportunities.
Mr. Ibarra explained that joining the WTCA entails more than just a change in institutional identity. It expands Corporación Zona Franca Santiago’s value proposition significantly by connecting it to a global platform for business relationships, trade, and investment, which will elevate Santiago’s international reach even further.
In this new chapter, Mr. Ibarra unveiled Santiago Business City, a forward-looking vision that will integrate business, logistics, technology, healthcare, education, and urban development into an ecosystem designed for the future economy.
This initiative includes developing the WTC Santiago Free Trade Zone, the MĒDICA medical and wellness district, INNCON (an innovation and knowledge hub), a modern city center, a botanical corridor, and specialized industrial parks for technology, medical devices, and life sciences. It also includes an international logisticshub designed to strengthen Santiago’s connectivity with global markets.
In closing his presentation, Mr. Ibarra described Santiago Business City and its first flagship project, the WTC Santiago Free Trade Zone, as “a long-term vision that builds on the corporation’s experience, leadership, and track record to drive a new era of business, urban, and economic development. Our goal is to establishSantiago as the next major business destination in the Americas while reinforcing the country’s leadership in the regional economy.”
About Martín Ibarra
Martín Ibarra is a distinguished legal expert and international consultant with over five decades of experience in international trade, investment attraction, free trade zones, and special economic zones. Throughout his career, he has advised governments in Latin America, Asia, and Africa on designing and modernizing legal frameworks, public policies, and investment regimes aimed at enhancing competitiveness, boosting exports, and attracting foreign direct investment.
He is joining a distinguished team of international advisors and industry leaders who are supporting Corporación Zona Franca Santiago as it brings its long-term vision to life.
