Message from Her Majesty´s Ambassador to Costa Rica and Nicaragua

It is a real privilege to represent the British Government in these two Central American countries of Costa Rica and Nicaragua. We have excellent bilateral relations with both, British business is increasing with this part of the world and the number of British visitors is on a steady upward curve. So although we are a small Embassy in size we are extremely busy and often stretched in several directions at once.

Perhaps it would be useful to illustrate that  with some examples. The bilateral relationship for example with Costa Rica has seen us working closely together at the UN Security Council on many issues (Costa Rica has a seat there for 2008-9), many of which require us to be in close contact with the government in San Jose as well as in New York. In terms of the Costa Rica’s internal programmes the UK has been the number one foreign Government supportive of Costa Rica’s initiative “Peace with Nature” launched in 2007 and aimed at making the country carbon neutral by 2021. In consular work the figure for British visitors to Costa Rica has in recent years reached 46,000, a record level reflecting interest in the country’s beauty and ecological harmony. And in the world of business, Costa Rica already hosts a number of UK companies, and was rated in 2007 in the top three countries worldwide in terms of the increase in British businesses commissioning market research and information.

To pick a couple of illustrations for Nicaragua: in 2008 the first Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) visit of the Ortega administration saw a Nicaraguan Parliamentary delegation visit London and Northern Ireland, reciprocating a UK visit here in 2005. And Britain’s Department for International Development continues to maintain a very active £ 4 million annual co-operation programme in Nicaragua to support good governance and economic development and stability.

We continue to seek ways to promote healthy bilateral relations and interchange. That is always a pleasure in countries like Costa Rica and Nicaragua that are so well-disposed to the UK and open to dialogue and mutual growth.

I hope you find this website useful and informative but if there is anything wrong with it or if you have suggestions or other feedback, please let us know.

Sincerely,

TOM KENNEDY
HM Ambassador
to Costa Rica and Nicaragua