Costa Rica and Saudi Arabia Strengthen Relations
Investment from Saudi Arabia has greatly flourished in Costa Rica, with trade values between the countries estimated to be around 100 million.
Investment from Saudi Arabia in the Costa Rican Tourism Sector
On April 25th, a milestone in bilateral relations occurred between the countries of Costa Rica and Saudi Arabia. The head of the Saudi Arabian delegation and deputy Minister of Investment Badr- Al Badr and the Saudi Arabian trade mission visited the country to continue the recognition of medical tourism investment in the country.
With the continuing investment in medical tourism, the interest and need for air and port infrastructure as well as desalination plants in Guanacaste were also recognized.
Along with this meeting, another mission occurred simultaneously, which continues the further strengthening of this aforementioned relationship.
Seventy senior business executives from Saudi Arabia met with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Public Transport, and other Costa Rican governmental bodies.
The Minister of Costa Rican Foreign Affairs, Arnoldo André Tinoco expressed that Costa Rica is committed to further contributing and creating a sustainable economy,
“This is why the Chaves Robles Administration considers the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia a strategic partner to achieve it,” he said.
The President of Costa Rica, Rodrigo Chaves Robles spoke of the continuing relations with Saudi Arabia,
“This visit led by Deputy Minister Al-Badr will bring very positive results in the generation of jobs and new investments,” said the leader.
For their part, Saudi Arabia expressed interest in the areas of infrastructure and medical tourism in Costa Rica.
Within the framework of the visit of the commercial mission of Saudi Arabia in Costa Rica, the head of the delegation and Vice Minister of Investment of that nation, Badr Al-Badr, recognized the interest in investing in medical tourism projects, desalination in Guanacaste and port and air infrastructure, among others.
2030 World Expo
The President of Costa Rica, Rodrigo Chaves Robles, announced support for Saudi Arabia as possible host for 2030 World Expo.
The Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the intergovernmental organization embodying the commitment of its 170 member States to lead, promote and foster International Exhibitions recently conducted a BIE Enquiry Mission of Riyadh for the Expo 2030 candidacy.
The Chairperson of the BIE Enquiry Mission shared their perspective:
“We had the great honor to meet His Royal Highness, which was one of the main highlights of our mission. We were shown what the country is capable of, and the country and the city have everything we asked about.”
Secretary-General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) said, “There is no doubt that Saudi Arabia and Riyadh have everything needed to host the successful Expo.”
The final vote to choose the host city which will take place in November of this year.
Costa Rica and Saudi Arabia Relations in Recent Times
Regarding Costa Rica’s trading partners, Saudi Arabia is their main source of trade in the Middle East. This alliance between the two has encouraged deeper economic ties over the last few years and also strengthened ties between Latin American and Middle Eastern countries, two highly influential regions both politically and economically.
A trade agreement signed back in February was created to form a joint business council between Saudi Arabian and Costa Rican officials to further economic cooperation. This agreement reflected large gains in profit and trade between the two countries, which was reflected in the growth in the volume of trade exchange by 59% to reach SAR 355 million in 2021, adding that the Saudi and Costa Rican economies enjoy global competitive advantages.
Within the following months, another delegation is set to occur to foster new relations between the two countries in the areas of renewable energy, agriculture, and food security according to the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Investment Badr bin Ibrahim Al-Badr. The matter of renewable energy is a pressing topic that will come to the forefront with the already rising effects of climate change.
A new embassy of Saudi Arabia has been established in San Isidro, Costa Rica, just one of the many new initiatives to create amicable relationships between the two countries. The two first established relations on December 7th, 2015.
Costa Rica and Saudi Arabia Relations in the News
When observing the current state of relations between countries, it is important to note how the public can be active viewers in these situations. For Saudi Arabia, one way the government is raising interest in the subject matter is through television and marketing.
The Costa Rican government is working towards a marketing campaign. The Costa Rican minister would be set to present a list of collaborative projects with the purpose of facilitating cooperation and investment between the two nations.
The president of the General Foreign Trade Authority of Saudi Arabia, Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, affirmed his commitment, “I want Saudi television to know the country brand of Costa Rica, so that more people from our region visit their country and investment is promoted through new projects.”
From this, a goal in this project is to also encourage Saudi Arabian and Costa Rican citizens to visit each other’s countries and enjoy all the aspects of the tourism industry.
Medical Tourism: An Area of Growth and Opportunity
For those who may not be previously aware of what medical tourism is, it is when one pursues international travel for the purpose of receiving medical care.
This global phenomenon is not a new practice, however in recent years it has become extremely lucrative. Through the processes of globalization, travelers are searching far and wide for the best medical services for a fraction of the cost.
Surveillance data indicate that millions of US residents travel internationally for medical care each year.
For the Costa Rican economy, tourism is one of the largest sources of revenue, reaching 4.8% of the total GDP as of 2019. While generally, a large percentage of tourism comes in the form of ecotourism, a new form of this has been growing in popularity. Travelers from across the globe are making their way down to Costa Rica for medical treatments.
For those in the United States and across the continent of Europe, the cost of different medical services are drastically lower, leading to a desire for those visiting to receive different variations of treatments.
It is estimated that medical treatment costs between 50 and 70% less in Costa Rica, making it much more affordable with excellent care from trained doctors and nurses alike.
There are various reasons amongst the affordability aspect of receiving medical care in the country. One being that a tourist is allowed to be in the country for 90 days without a visa, allowing for traveling freely for an extended period of time.
Another, is that there are frequent and well-priced flights that travel daily, if not weekly from all across the globe to CR, eliminating travel barriers that might discourage those from traveling.
Costa Rica: One of the Healthiest Countries in Latin America and the World
With Costa Rica becoming a popular destination for medical services, it is no wonder that people are also looking into the health and wellness aspects of the Costa Rican culture. In a recent study conducted by the World Population Review, Costa Rica was ranked one of the healthiest countries in Latin America and in the World. These rankings are based off a number of factors, such as access to public health resources, water quality, and more.
What makes Costa Rica so healthy?
Listed below are some of the contributing factors:
Community Oriented Based Health Care
Every Costa Rican is assigned to an equipo básico de atención integral en salud (EBAIS)—a local primary healthcare team of physicians, nurses, and community health workers.
Many Costa Ricans follow the Meso-American Trifecta, which is a combination of whole grains, beans, and squash in terms of their diet
These factors along with being one of the few places in the world with a designated blue zone, which are areas of the world where people live the longest lives, consistently reaching age 100, just are some of the many ways Costa Ricans live incredibly long and healthy lifestyles.
Along with the reputation of being a healthy nation, it is also known for being one of the most environmentally friendly countries in the world. It contains around 6% of the entire world’s biodiversity, and Costa Rica has enacted plenty of legislation to protect it.
As of 2023, Costa Rica has signed forty-five international environmental treaties. There have also been enacted numerous regulatory bodies such as the Organic Law of the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE, 1993), the Environment Law (1995), the Forestry Law (1996), and the Biodiversity Act (1998).
When tourists visit Costa Rica, they are able to enjoy all of the forms of ecotourism thanks to the extensive laws that protect its biodiversity.
The Pura Vida motto for the country goes above and beyond to provide a framework for a happy and fulfilling life. It is a way of life for Costa Ricans alike, and it is certainly evident in both the numbers and the happiness of its residents.
“If you are healthy, have work, and are able to spend time with friends and family, you are pura vida,” says Luis Alberto Vásquez Castro, a former congressman for the country.
The Medical Tourism Directory, Costa Rica
Recently, Latina Republic spoke with Claire and David Charnock, co-founders of the Medical Tourism Directory Costa Rica, a resource dedicated to providing the most comprehensive guide to medical services in Costa Rica.
With the Medical Tourism Directory, they are committed to creating an environment in which clients can feel secure in choosing the right treatment, no matter the type of service. The company works with a close network of JCI- accredited hospitals and trusted doctors in Costa Rica, furthering the safeness of these procedures.
Claire and David expressed that the reasoning behind the creation of the directory ten years prior was to address the lack of knowledge of the types of medical services offered in Costa Rica.
“We could see at that stage ten years ago, there was a big gap in the market to be able to help people overseas, but also for those who live in the country.”
When asked about why travelers would choose to come to Costa Rica for medical tourism over their home country, they explained that this occurs for a number of reasons.
“One of the primary factors behind people coming here is that the costs are estimated to be around 40-55% less, it depends on the procedure, but a lot of people do come here for the very good service provided by Costa Rican doctors. They are very professional, highly educated, and bilingual as a result of their education overseas.”
For the non-monetary aspects of their career that are rewarding, they said that providing the assistance to clients and knowing that their impact has made an overall difference in the quality of life post- treatment.
“Seeing the before and after post treatment of one of our clients and seeing his life being completely changed was the most wonderfully gratifying experiences, to know that the impact truly made a difference.”
Gabby Boyd | Latin American Correspondent
My name is Gabby Boyd, and I am a first year master’s candidate at Georgetown University studying Latin American Studies with a concentration in Political Economy and Development. My interest in this region of the world stems from a love of culture and politics, and a innate curiosity to learn more about Latin America through my educational and work experiences. During my time at Latina Republic, I am working as a Latin American Correspondent, with a focus on the Andean Cone countries and Caribbean Islands. I am interested in women’s rights, sustainability and the environment, and promoting the rights of children through advocacy. It is incredibly important that these topics are discussed in the realm of Latin America, as the voices of both women and children are crucial to understanding and improving the region on all levels.
