Costa Rica president calls for green energy alliance

Luis Guillermo Solis,President of Costa Rica

The government of eco-friendly Costa Rica is keen to share its long experience with clean, renewable energy with the government of the UAE to help it accomplish its goals in this sector, according to Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis.

President Solis was on a week-long visit to the UAE, in which he attended Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and met UAE officials in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah in an effort to attract investment and encourage business ties between the two nations.

In an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times, Solis noted that Costa Rica, which has been running over 98 per cent on renewable energy sources for the last two years, has much to offer the UAE, which by 2021 seeks to make 24 per cent of its energy mix from renewable energy sources.

"We have more than 50 years experience in hydroelectric power, for example. Here that's obviously less important than energy from other sources such as solar and wind power, but we have significant experience forming public policies that distribute this energy, and adding value to it," he said. "So our technical teams can help countries that need that help."

"But more important, we'd like to build an alliance with the UAE and with other countries, many of whom have participated in the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi this week, to guarantee that the Paris Agreement and other multilateral energy agreements will be maintained," he added. "This is important, as in the next few years we might see a push from certain sectors that don't want to comply with the Paris Agreement, which he consider fundamental."

Solis added that he is "optimistic" that the Paris Agreement, which seeks to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, will be followed through.

"I am optimistic, but this is an effort that needs to continue and cannot be abandoned. I believe that the forces that are against the development of renewable energy, and those who aren't aware of the existence of climate change, have not been fully defeated. They keep expressing themselves by not taking decisions that are urgently needed to reach with the world's goals," he noted. "But I'm optimistic that most countries have made firm commitments. But we can't drop our guard."

'Residents, all are welcome, we're friendly country'

President Luis Guillermo Solis, during his exclusive chat with Khaleej Times, gave an open invitation to the people of the UAE to visit Costa Rica.

"We want to invite anyone who'd like to visit Costa Rica. It's a friendly country, which (UAE nationals) will now have an opportunity to visit without needing a visa," President Solis said.
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The Costa Rica president also expressed his "solidarity and feelings of sadness" over the death of five UAE diplomats killed while on a humanitarian mission in Kandahar, Afghanistan. "I feel tremendous solidarity with the Emirati people for this loss, but I'm also very proud," he said.

"I know their lives didn't end in vain. The UAE's efforts to build peace in Afghanistan will continue, to which the Emirati people have committed themselves."

"I'd also like to thank the people and government of the UAE for the solidarity and support extended to us after Hurricane Otto (which struck Costa Rica in November 2016)," he added. "The help they gave us was extraordinary."

bernd@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai

Bernd Debusmann Jr.

bernd@khaleejtimes.com