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arrowOther Useful Costa Rican Government Links
arrowInternational Economic Organizations
arrowCosta Rica’s Current Business Climate 
 
 

 

political and Economic section

The Political and Economic Section serves as a liaison between the U.S. and Costa Rican governments, often working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on issues under consideration at the United Nations, the Organization of American States, and in other fora.

The Section reports to U.S. government agencies about political and economic developments in Costa Rica as well as Costa Rica’s foreign policy. Staff members analyze macroeconomic trends and trade policies and their potential impact on U.S. interests, and they inform U.S. businesses about the local investment climate. The Section follows issues relating to human rights, trafficking in persons, labor rights, and refugees.

The Political and Economic Section directs U.S. government expertise, training, and material assistance to important governmental and non-governmental programs in Costa Rica. It provides training and equipment to help the government of Costa Rica increase the capacity of its law enforcement agencies to deal with rising crime levels and confront drug trafficking in the region. The Section also serves as the liaison for U.S. Department of Treasury experts who advise the government of Costa Rica on debt management, infrastructure financing, and money laundering. It collaborates with non-governmental organizations that receive U.S. government funding for work on issues ranging from the enhancement of Ministry of Labor inspection capacity, to the provision of micro-credit loans to female refugee entrepreneurs, to stemming the tide of human trafficking in the sex industry.

 


Issues in Focus

  1. The Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) 
  2. U.S. Economy
  3. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)
  4. Doha Round 
  5. Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTA)
  6. Summit of Americas (SOA)
  7. Narcotics and Security
  8. US Assistance to Costa Rica

U.S. Economy

  1. White House Announcement of the Summit on Financial Markets and the Global Economy (October 22, 2008)
  2. Under Secretary David H. McCormick Remarks at Wharton’s Eleventh Annual Investment Management Conference (October 3, 2008) (pdf document)
  3. President Bush Discusses the Economy (October 17, 2008)
  4. Overview of Rescue Package (October 8, 2008) (pdf document)
  5. Overview of Rescue Package (Spanish)(October 8, 2008) (pdf document)

Sectorial Links

  1. Trade, Commerce, & Finance
  2. Telecommunications, Transportation, & Tourism
  3. Energy & Environment
  4. Agriculture & Labor
  5. Development & Planning
  6. Social Services
  7. Costa Rica’s Current Business Climate 
  8. International Economic Organizations
  9. Publications
  10. U.S. Commercial Service
  11. Environment, Science, Technology, & Health
  12. Recent speakers on tax reform

  


Doha Round

 


Trade, Commerce, & Finance

 


Telecommunications, Transportation, & Tourism

 


Energy & Environment

 


Agriculture, Fisheries, & Labor

 


Development & Planning

 


Social Services

 


Costa Rica’s Current Business Climate 


Other U.S. Government Links

 


Other Useful Costa Rican Government Links

 


International Economic Organizations

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— Issues in focus —

Intellectual Property Rights

Secretary Clinton’s Remarks at the Pathways to Prosperity Ministerial Meeting (May 31, 2009)

Central American Economic and Social Statistics from the Inter-American Development Bank

2008 Human Rights Report

2009 Trafficking in Persons Report

2009 International Religious Freedom Report

United States Economic Indicators (pdf document)

Costa Rican Economic Indicators (pdf document)

Video: "War on Piracy" (Quick Time Movie)