Governor Carlos Moisés welcomed the ambassador of Costa Rica to Brazil, Norman Lizano Ortiz and presented Santa Catarina’s potential, competitive advantages, entrepreneurial capacity, and advances made in public administration since the beginning of the current administration. Possibilities of partnerships and strengthening of governmental and cultural relations were also discussed.

“Our State has many similarities with Costa Rica, especially in terms of territorial size and population. In this meeting today, we exchanged experiences and we have already established some dialogue interests. Costa Rica is an exemplary country in environmental protection and disaster prevention. We have mutual interests that can be shared for the development of both”, said the governor.

The Costa Rican ambassador to Brazil stressed that there is every interest in contributing and establishing partnerships with Santa Catarina. “We share important experiences. Among the similarities, we are also a country and a state that place great value on technological development, innovation, and science. We are future-oriented with a mission focused on sustainable, social, and economic. Both Costa Rica and Santa Catarina have a lot to offer.”

The executive secretary for International Affairs, Fernando Raupp, highlighted that the meeting was very important to increase the foreign trade relationship and attract investment to SC. “The subjects of greatest interest shown by Costa Rica’s representatives were economic, environmental development and ecotourism. Also, the best practices they have in the issue of Export Processing Zones (ZPEs), which is even a topic that the governor has been dealing with and now returning to with that of Imbituba and the planning for the creation of two more: in Lages and Dionísio Cerqueira.”

Also participating in the meeting were the honorary consul of Costa Rica in Santa Catarina, Rolando Coto Varela; the finance secretaries, Paulo Eli; of the Military House, André Alves; Chief of Staff of the Chief Executive, Márcio Ferreira; superintendent of Delegate Ports of Santa Catarina – SC Partnerships, Jamazi Alfredo Ziegler; CEO of the Executive Secretariat for the Environment (Sema), Leonardo Porto Ferreira; and the president of Santur, Rene Menezes Nunes.