Stephan Brunner Neibig, first vice president of Costa Rica

The First Vice President of Costa Rica, Stephan Brunner Neibig, praised Qatar’s pioneering role in promoting the values ​​of integrity and transparency at the local, regional and international levels, praising its exceptional efforts to support initiatives aimed at strengthening transparency and fighting corruption, which contributes to achieving sustainable development and strengthening international partnerships in this area.

Brunner explained, in a statement to the Qatar News Agency (QNA), that Qatar’s efforts to fight corruption reflect a positive image globally, including the launch of an international award in this domain.

He stressed that the UN must be a stronger partner in these efforts, adding that it is a mistake to believe that it is impossible to fight corruption.

“Many people think that there is nothing to do against corruption and that we must fight this idea”, through international cooperation and support for effective initiatives to fight against this phenomenon, he said. declared.

Regarding Qatar-Costa Rica bilateral relations, Brunner highlighted the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of relations between the two countries. He highlighted that the visit of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani represents a turning point in these relations, as he said: “we are very honored that His Highness the Amir is coming to Costa Rica. We are also trying to maintain even stronger relations with Qatar, which, in my opinion, is a very strong, developed and forward-looking country. »

Brunner expressed his joy at the selection of Costa Rica to host the eighth edition of His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award, stressing that this event is of great importance for his country. He explained that they have made tangible progress, since they have climbed three ranks in the Latin American Anti-Corruption Index, adding that they are working seriously to become the leading country in this area in the region. . The selection of Costa Rica to host this award reflects international recognition of our continued efforts to promote integrity and fight corruption, he said.

In his speech at the ceremony honoring the award winners, he noted that His Highness the Amir’s visit and presence at the awards ceremony reflects the strong and long-standing relations between the two countries.

Furthermore, the Costa Rican Minister of Foreign Affairs and Religious Affairs, Arnoldo André Tinoco, praised bilateral relations with Qatar, emphasizing that they span 20 years of fruitful cooperation, and stressed that the visit of the Emir will be an important turning point in strengthening these relations. reports.
He said Costa Rica was the first Central American country to open an embassy in Doha, adding that bilateral relations between the two countries were witnessing remarkable development thanks to the exchange of ambassadors and high-level visits between the two countries, which reflects the strength of the partnership between the two parties.

The president of the Costa Rica-Qatar Parliamentary Friendship Group, Gilberto Campos, stressed that the Emir’s visit represents a great opportunity for the country and places it in an important international context.

In a special speech addressed to the Qatar News Agency (QNA), he said that the Amir’s visit contributes to strengthening bilateral relations, especially since the two countries share privileged relations in various fields.

In a related context, he stressed that this group aims to strengthen parliamentary, diplomatic and economic relations between the two countries, and to strengthen cooperation ties between them, in addition to striving to achieve cultural rapprochement and friendship between the two countries. people of the two countries.

He highlighted that Costa Rica stands out for its openness to various countries in the world and that it has several free trade agreements with them, affirming in this regard that the relationship with the State of Qatar is not new and that there are several points on which Costa Rica aspires to strengthen itself with Qatar on the economic and political levels.

He added that Costa Rica’s strategic location allows for increased Qatari investments in this important geographic area.

Campos indicated that the ways to strengthen the cooperation mechanisms between Costa Rica and Qatar lie in achieving a great rapprochement between the two countries and in strengthening joint parliamentary cooperation between the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica and the Shura Council. to exchange information and ideas and determine the parliamentary mechanisms necessary to strengthen and develop bilateral relations between the two countries.

He highlighted Costa Rica’s efforts to strengthen parliamentary cooperation relations and increase the volume of joint working visits between them, in the interest of the peoples of the two friendly countries.