Essential News

• Fabricio Alvarado and representatives of his team held a meeting with the Board of Directors and the organization's management team to discuss key business climate improvement projects for the generation of employment, through the attraction of foreign direct investment.

San José, March 8th, 2018. The Board of Directors, the General Manager and part of the Management Team of the Costa Rican Coalition of Development Initiatives (CINDE), a non-profit, apolitical organization in charge of attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) to Costa Rica, received the presidential candidate of the Restauración Nacional Party, Fabricio Alvarado, as well as his candidate for Vice President, Ivonne Acuña, part of his economic and foreign trade team, including: Mónica Araya, Gerardo Corrales, and Marcos Adamson, as well as part of their communication advisors , to talk about issues related to key country competitiveness for attracting FDI and generating employment.

During the meeting, which took place in Escazú, three strategic axes were identified that need to be strengthened to continue generating quality employment in the multinational sector.

The first topic of dialogue was the opportunity to promote a transformation of the education system in Costa Rica with key actions in the promotion of multilingualism in the country and the preparation of more people in areas of high demand, technical and professional, with an active role of the INA, the Ministry of Education and the national academy.

The second axis of dialogue was the development of capacities in communities outside the Greater Metropolitan Area to attract investment and generate employment in those areas; and finally, the third axis focused on necessary projects to improve competitiveness in infrastructure areas, electricity costs and updating of national legislation.

Luis Gamboa, President of the Board of Directors of CINDE, commented: "CINDE has been responsible for 36 years of attracting foreign direct investment to our country with the purpose of promoting the development of Costa Rica through the generation of quality employment, transfer of technology, support linkages with local companies and the generation of knowledge and support for academia, among other positive effects. To achieve these objectives, our apolitical and technical nature has allowed us to work hand to hand with nine different administrations and we will continue to do so with whoever is elected on the first of April. Therefore, these information sessions, dialogue and coordination with both candidates are of utmost importance ".

Currently, CINDE works in the attraction of companies in strategic sectors of life sciences, corporate services and manufacturing, also carries out an aggressive strategy of developing new investment markets and sub sectors according to the country's potential and global dynamics. The organization also supports key projects to improve the country's investment climate, which will boost employment generation.

To date, the companies supported by CINDE generate 97,584 direct and 50,056 indirect jobs. In 2017, companies within the strategic sectors generated 13,754 new jobs.

The representatives of CINDE will meet on March 16 with the presidential candidate of the Partido Acción Ciudadana, Carlos Alvarado.

About CINDE

CINDE is a private, non-profit organization that for 36 years has been committed to the development and sustainable social progress of Costa Rica by attracting foreign direct investment in manufacturing industries and high value-added services that generate quality jobs, knowledge transfer and productive linkages. CINDE also collaborates in the strengthening of the Costa Rican business climate in such a way as to encourage the growth of value-added activities for the country, the improvement of the preparation of local talent, the generation of employment and greater opportunities for its population in the different communities of the country.

For more press information

Andrea Centeno CINDE 2201-2873

Carlos Morales CINDE 2201-2830