Qatar, Costa Rica: Friendly Relations Based On Mutual Respect, Common Interests

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) QNA

The State of Qatar seeks to strengthen its relations and expand its strategic partnerships with Latin American countries in various fields to serve common interests, goals, and ambitions as well as to open new markets and horizons for the Qatari Economy and investments.

The Latin American countries represent an important consumer market, with a population exceeding 650 million, the fourth largest economy in the world, and includes a group of the key emerging powers in the world.

The trade volume between the State of Qatar and Latin American countries in 2023 reached around QR 3.6 billion.

In light of the wise policy of the Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and His Highness's interest in expanding the Qatar's economic and political relations and strategic partnerships with various fraternal and friendly countries of the world, Amir's official visit to the friendly Republic of Costa Rica comes within the framework of His Highnesss interest in expanding Qatar's economic and political relations and strategic partnerships with various fraternal and friendly countries of the world. H H the Amir will meet with President of the Republic of Costa Rica H E Rodrigo Chaves Robles and senior officials in the Costa Rican government to discuss ways to enhance cooperation between the two sides in various fields, in addition to discussing a number of regional and international issues of common interest.

H H the Amir's visit to Costa Rica will inaugurate a new and important phase in the course of relations between the two countries, and open new horizons for partnership and cooperation in the economic and investment sectors and other areas that serve the interests of the two countries and their friendly peoples.

H H the Amir will also attend the ceremony of the 8th edition of H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award, which will be held this year in San Jose, the capital of the Republic of Costa Rica.

The State of Qatar and the Republic of Costa Rica are linked by good relations based on mutual respect and common interests. The two sides are working to explore areas of development and advance them towards new horizons in various political, economic, commercial, investment, and other sectors.

The relations between the two countries are characterized by keen attention to developing productive projects and contributing to the process of reducing carbon emissions and combating climate change as essential pillars for enhancing close cooperation between the governments of the two countries and providing an opportunity to develop partnerships at the private sector level in a way that enhances economic growth in Qatar and Costa Rica. The relations between the two countries officially began in 2010, when the Father Amir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani visited the Republic of Costa Rica, during which he met with the Former President of the Republic of Costa Rica H E Oscar Arias, and senior officials, where they discussed ways to enhance bilateral relations and issues of common interest, in addition to signing a number of agreements.

After that, Costa Rica opened an embassy in Doha, followed by the State of Qatar, which opened an embassy in San Jose in 2011, thus becoming the first Arab, Gulf, and Islamic country to establish relations with Costa Rica. Since the beginning of relations between the two countries, several agreements have been signed in many areas of common interest, such as facilitating investments and cooperation in the political, economic, technical, scientific, tourism, cultural and academic fields, civil aviation and air transport, in addition to the visa waiver between the two countries, which allows citizens of both countries to travel with ease without the need to obtain a travel visa.

Given the importance that Qatar attaches to the Republic of Costa Rica, and its aspire to further strengthen relations with it, the State of Qatar has always invited Costa Rican officials to Doha to participate in important international conferences, seminars, and forums held in Doha to maintain constant communication and strengthen bilateral relations in an effective manner.

To strengthen relations between the two countries, Vice President of the Republic Costa Rica H E Marvin Rodriguez Cordero visited Qatar in October 2021. The Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani met with the Vice President of the Republic of Costa Rica and the accompanying delegation at his office in the Amiri Diwan. During the meeting, they reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries and prospects for strengthening and developing them, in addition to a number of topics of common interest.

In November 2020, Second Vice President of the Republic of Costa Rica and Minister of Sports H E Mary Munive Angermuller visited Doha, where she praised the exceptional arrangements and preparations provided by the State of Qatar for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The Second Vice President of the Republic of Costa Rica and Minister of Sports H E Mary Munive Angermuller indicated that during her visit to Doha, she met with a number of officials and expressed to them her country's thanks and gratitude for the assistance provided by Qatar to confront the disaster of Hurricane Otto that struck Costa Rica in 2016, in addition to the medical aid and vaccinations that Qatar provided to Costa Rica with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which enabled Costa Rica to control the pandemic. She affirmed that Costa Rica is grateful to Qatar for all that and will never forget it.

Economic and trade delegations from Costa Rica also visit Doha from time to time to discuss ways to enhance trade and economic relations between the two parties, and how to enhance cooperation between business owners in the two countries, especially in the agricultural sector and modern methods of agriculture and food security in general.

In September 2023, the second round of political consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar and the Republic of Costa Rica was held in San Jose.

The Qatari side was headed by HE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi, while the Costa Rican side was headed by HE Vice Minister of Bilateral Affairs and International Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Costa Rica Lydia Mara Peralta Cordero. The political consultations dealt with bilateral cooperation relations, in addition to a host of topics of common interest.

In December 2023, on the occasion of Qatar National Day, Head of Mission of the Embassy of Costa Rica in Qatar Jairo Lopez affirmed to QNA that the relationship between the State of Qatar and his country is rooted in mutual respect, shared values, and a commitment to fostering cooperation and understanding. He pointed out that the two nations have established strong diplomatic ties and that they do collaborate on various initiatives that promote sustainable development, cultural exchange and economic partnership He also voiced his pride in the friendly and constructive nature of the relationship between the two countries and the prospects for future cooperation, which contributes to the mutual benefit of both peoples and the global community.

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