Arnoldo André Tinoco
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship of Costa Rica
Alberto Rubio
“Promoting the High-Level Conference on Ocean Action, which Costa Rica is going to organise on 7 and 8 June,” is the purpose of the tour that has brought the Costa Rican Minister of Foreign Affairs, Arnoldo André Tinoco, to Europe, as he explains to The Diplomat during our interview in the library of Casa América.
Is this meeting in San José a prelude to the UN Conference on Oceans to be held in 2025?
Yes, we want to take the results to Nice, where Costa Rica and France will co-host the third UN conference on the oceans, after the one held in Lisbon two years ago. Taking advantage of this, Costa Rica has invited to this meeting, called ‘Immersed in Change’, high-level representatives of states, the scientific and academic community, civil society and youth to exchange good practices of sustainability in the oceans, including what English speakers call matchmaking, an exchange table with the presence of the international financial community that wants to support countries in adopting these good practices.
Your country already has experience in environmental protection. What proposals are you going to put forward?
Costa Rica has extensive sustainability leadership. It has managed to reverse the rate of deforestation and convert it to reforestation, from 30% forest cover in the 1970s to 60% today. And it has already achieved the UN High Ambition Coalition (HAC) targets of protecting 30% of land and oceans by 2030.
With Panama, Colombia and Ecuador, for example, we have the Pacific Protection Area (Semar), which links each country with its islands: Ecuador with the Galapagos; Colombia with its Malpelo Island; Panama with Cohiba; and Costa Rica with Cocos Island. In total, we form a 500,000 km² zone of protection in the Pacific. It is an international regional agreement that is a good example of cooperation. We were also leaders in the negotiation and conclusion of the High Seas Biodiversity Treaty (BBJ). And we are now actively negotiating the conventions to combat plastic pollution in the seas.
What would be a successful outcome at the Nice Conference?
One of the big issues we have, where we are also leading, is the moratorium or precautionary extension of sub-seabed mining. Costa Rica and 25 other countries that have already joined the coalition oppose such mining without science having proven that it is feasible without causing major damage or that it is sustainable. There are large companies that have gained support, particularly from some South Pacific islands, to start sub-seabed mining, which we fear could be very destructive.
Does that mining include oil extraction, for example?
Exactly, oil and other minerals. This is something we will definitely take to Nice. And we also want to negotiate and agree on the conventions against plastic pollution and start the ratification process.
I suppose that some countries will put their development ahead of respect for the environment. How can they be convinced?
Well, we have to change the paradigm. The oceans can no longer be considered a ‘no man’s sea’, but a ‘sea of all’. And it is up to the international community to also develop the necessary funds for the proper use of this common resource. For example, the ocean contributes 20% to climate change. Healthy oceans will give us a healthy climate. Sick oceans will exacerbate climate change.
Do you count on Spain to make progress on these objectives?
Yes, of course. Spain shares most of these values. And there is great cooperation between Costa Rica and Spain in this fight.
I have been told that you intend to invite the Minister of Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera, to the event in San José.
It would be wonderful if we could count on her presence and that of other high authorities, although we understand that the elections to the European Parliament are being held on those dates. But, well, maybe it is possible.
Speaking of European issues, Costa Rica is part of the Association Agreement between the EU and Central America since 2013, although it has only recently entered into force. Why?
That’s right, it entered into force a fortnight ago after ratification by the Walloon Parliament in Belgium, which was holding it hostage. This agreement provides for political dialogue, intra-regional cooperation systems and the trade and investment part, which until now had been applied provisionally. Its entry into force gives us a formalised, institutionalised framework for relations between Europe and Central America.
Does this agreement meet Central America’s expectations?
Yes, with Spain we already have the investment protection treaty, the treaty to avoid double taxation and now, with the Association Agreement, we already have the complete institutional framework. In fact, Spain is the second largest foreign investor in Costa Rica and contributes decisively to major national development projects.
Would like Costa Rica to move towards a Free Trade Agreement now?
The ambition is always to increase the intensity of relations, to explore areas of stronger and more intense cooperation. Now, in the processes of digitalisation, modernisation and efficiency of the country, we believe that Spain can contribute. It has done so, and we are very grateful for its help, in cybernetic matters, in the fight against the attacks we suffered in April 2022. It was a strong partner in recovering information that had been lost by the Social Security system and the Ministry of Finance. Now our social security system is looking to Spain for support in dealing with the long waiting lists for surgery. And we have always had an open ear from Spain.
Do these matters fall under the Advanced Cooperation Agreement that Spain and Costa Rica signed?
That is correct. And we do not only have this instrument. Now we also have the European Global Gateway, which has funds available to finance any cooperation project between Spain and Costa Rica.
How does Costa Rica sees the current European situation, in which we have a serious problem with the war against Ukraine?
With the utmost concern. Costa Rica was one of the first countries to strongly condemn the Russian aggression on Ukrainian territory and to express our absolute solidarity with Ukraine. Of course the economic effects are felt all over the world because the increase in prices is evident. Anything of that magnitude that happens here has an effect, directly or indirectly, on our economies. In that sense, all our support for European policies.
Two years ago President Alvarado visited Spain. Should we expect another visit soon?
The President’s schedule is always very tight. But we do not exclude a second visit. He has already been here on the occasion of an invitation from President Macron to prepare the Nice conference and took the opportunity to visit the Netherlands and Belgium. But he has yet to visit what used to be called the great powers, including Spain.
