The Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, visited Costa Rica in the frame of the summit “Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development: Living no one behind”.

“I am here mostly to honor Costa Rica for its cutting-edge character and for being a pioneer in the construction of sustainable development”, commented Guterres after praising the determination of the country to commit with social inclusion, sustainability and the battle against climate change.

The Ministry of Planification and Economic Policies, Pilar Garrido, shared Costa Rica’s strategy to comply with the 2030 Agenda through the Objectives of Sustainable Development (ODS).

“The Objectives of Sustainable Development will be the axes of the next National Development and Public Investment Plan 2019-2022 and the National Strategic Plan for the Costa Rica of 2050”, commented Garrido.

The 2030 Agenda was signed by 193 Member Countries of the UN and includes 17 objectives and 169 goals with an ambitious vision of sustainable development that comprehends the economic, social and environmental dimensions. Its final mission is the fight against poverty, inequity and exclusion, placing dignity and equality of people in the center of it all.

Costa Rica was the first country in the world to sign the political pact for the implementation of the ODS and the first to forge the public governance for sustainable development.

“Forging the 2030 Agenda with our history,emergencies and colors has led us to make of the ODS the spinal cord of the National Development and Public Investment Plan 2019-2022 and the cornerstone of our long-term development vision to 2050, under the ambition of a prosperous economy, resilient and decarbonized, and of an inclusive society, free of discrimination, fair and whole”, concluded Garrido.

Guterres also visited this Monday the National Center of Energy Control (CENCE) of the Costa Rica Electric Institute (ICE) with the purpose of learning of the country’s advances in the use of renewable energy sources and its impact in the plans of carbon neutrality of the economy.

“Costa Rica’s electric network based in clean and own sources, constitutes a successful example worldwide, and this is a fundamental base for the decrease in the carbon footprint the country is promoting. We are pleased to share this experience with the highest authority of the UN with the purpose that Costa Rica continues to contribute with the region and the world goals in this topic”, said Irene Cañas, Executive President of ICE.