The United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Costa Rica have reiterated their strong commitment to deepening bilateral economic relations and enhancing trade and investment opportunities under the framework of their groundbreaking Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). This commitment was reaffirmed during a prestigious high-level business forum held in Dubai, where government officials, industry leaders, and key stakeholders from both nations gathered to explore new avenues for collaboration.
The forum served as a platform for discussing strategies to facilitate seamless trade, attract foreign direct investment, and foster mutually beneficial partnerships across various sectors, including technology, infrastructure, renewable energy, tourism, and agriculture. By leveraging the CEPA, both countries aim to eliminate trade barriers, streamline regulatory frameworks, and create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, ultimately driving economic diversification and sustainable growth.
The event, organised by Dubai Chambers in collaboration with the Dubai-Costa Rica Business Council and the Costa Rican Foreign Trade and Investment Agency (PROCOMER), brought together senior government officials, business leaders and trade representatives from both nations. It served as a platform to explore the benefits of the CEPA, which was signed in 2024 as part of the UAE’s broader foreign trade strategy to deepen economic engagement with key global partners.
The forum was attended by HE Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, and HE Manuel Tovar Rivera, Minister of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica, alongside key stakeholders from the public and private sectors of both countries. Other notable speakers included HE Francisco Chacon, Ambassador of Costa Rica to the UAE; Mr. Essa Abdulla Al Ghurair, Chairman of Essa Al Ghurair Investment; William Reuben-Soto, President of the Dubai-Costa Rica Business Council; Mrs. Laura Lopez Salazar, CEO of PROCOMER; and Mr. Julian Aguilar, Coordinator for Middle Eastern Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica.
