Dubai, UAE: Costa Rica’s Foreign Trade Promotion Agency (PROCOMER) has opened a new representative office at Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s headquarters which aims to promote bilateral ties and identify opportunities in the UAE that Costa Rican companies can benefit from.

The inauguration ceremony was held in the presence of H.E. Maria del Pilar Garrido Gonzalo, Minister of Planning and Economic Policy, Costa Rica; H.E. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, UAE Minister of Economy;

H.E. Francisco José Chacón Hernández, Ambassador of Costa Rica to UAE; H.E. Juma’a Rashid Khamis Al Rumaithi, UAE Ambassador to Costa Rica, and the visiting Costa Rican delegation joined by several government representatives.

H.E. Majid Saif Al Ghurair, Chairman of Dubai Chamber; H.E. Hamad Buamim, President & CEO of Dubai Chamber; and Dubai Chamber board members and officials received H.E. Maria del Pilar Garrido Gonzalo and the Costa Rican delegation at Dubai Chamber’s headquarters.

The inauguration of the PROCOMER office came during a high-level delegation visit to the UAE led by Costa Rican Vice President H.E. Epsy Campbell Barr. The move also came on the back of a memorandum of understanding signed last year between Dubai Chamber and the Costa Rican government to open a representative office in Dubai.

During the ceremony, H.E. Maria del Pilar Garrido Gonzalo said the new trade promotion office will help boost Costa Rican exports to the UAE and expand the scope of bilateral trade beyond agricultural commodities and foodstuff to products in other areas such as medical and life sciences industries.

“Costa Rican companies and businesses are eager to show what they have to offer for this beautiful part of the world, and there is no better place to do that, other than here in Dubai, an international business hub,” she said.

For his part, H.E. Al Ghurair congratulated the Costa Rican government on the opening of its trade promotion office which he described as an important development that reflects Costa Rica’s strong commitment to enhancing its ties with the UAE.

“Our economies may be different, but they complement one another in many ways. There is great potential for businesses in Dubai and Costa Rica to cooperate in the areas of food security, tourism, logistics, and renewable energy. Your presence and support provides us with an opportunity to build new bridges between our regions which share so many synergies and similarities,” said H.E. Al Ghurair.

In addition, H.E. Al Ghurair pointed out that the opening comes at an ideal time with the 3rd Global Business Forum Latin America set to take place in Panama this April. He added that the high-level forum organised by Dubai Chamber would provide an ideal opportunity for Costa Rican companies to explore business prospects with their UAE counterparts.