President of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado Quesada said that a rapid vaccination rollout globally could have avoided the new Covid-19 variants, like Omicron.

In an exclusive interview with the Emirates News Agency (WAM) on Monday, he said, "There is a hypothesis that some of these latest [coronavirus] variants [such as Omicron] could have been avoided if vaccination were to be deployed across the globe more rapidly. But that’s a hypothesis. The true thing is that we still need to vaccinate millions of people, particularly in the poor and developing world.” President Quesada is on a four-day official visit to the UAE.

One of the world’s youngest heads of state, 41 years old Quesada, was on the Time magazine’s Most Influential People’s list in 2019 after Costa Rica won "Champions of the Earth" award, the highest environmental honour by United Nations. The Central American country with a 5 million population produces 99.5 percent of its electricity from renewables sources of energy.

UAE is an example

The President noted that the health systems of some of "the poor and developing countries" lack required capacity to undertake faster vaccination process, and also there is vaccine resistance in the developed world.

"I think the UAE is one of the world’s examples of high levels of vaccination. In Costa Rica, we aspire to it [achieve the same]," Quesada said in an interview at the Costa Rican Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

He was referring to the UAE’s high vaccination rate where 100 percent of the population has received the first dose, and 90.31 percent are fully vaccinated as of 28th November.

Quesada said almost 80 percent of Costa Rican population has been vaccinated with one dose of vaccine and more than 60 percent have received two doses, a data "which is very good." "But we haven’t got any further because we are in the process of getting [more] vaccines," he added.

Quesada became the youngest serving Costa Rican President in 2018 at age of 38. "At the end, I do believe that one has to be young at the heart and mind, regardless of the actual age. We have to come up with new solutions and things that help people. And that’s what matters at the end."

"I believe arts and music tend to strengthen how people can be more empathic with others. And being more practical nowadays, music helps me relax. Sometimes I need to forget about problems for a while and then I go back trying to solve them."

Masdar – a ‘dream’ for Costa Rica, Latin America

Talking about the UAE-Costa Rica strategic partnership agreement on modernization of government, Quesada said, "I have to say that we need to learn a lot. For example, I went today to Masdar City and it was like a dream come true for me. At the one-stop shop [in Masdar City Free Zone], you can start your company in 24 hours, and it costs less than US$400. Many countries, not only Costa Rica and [others] in Latin America, will love to have something like that."

"Our countries are very similar in scale and they both have great strengths in different areas. Costa Rica is a leader in sustainability and a very renowned green country. The Emirates has the strength of innovation, the capacity for finance and logistics," Quesada said.

For example, Costa Rica has trading goods which are in scarcity in the Gulf, he explained. He added that both the countries can very well complement each other in logistics. "Because we are both in strategic positions. The UAE in the Gulf, and in our case, we are in the middle of the Americas."

Costa Rica, a tropical nation, can bring tropical produces like coffee and exotic fruits to the Middle East, while the UAE having the financial strength for investment can invest in many projects not only in Costa Rica but the entire Central American region, the president added.

Admiration for UAE

Quesada said, "What I admire a lot is the capacity to recognise that the world is going to change. So, we need to change and diversify our economies and invest not only in the present but to build a future. That’s a great message, and that’s a great story that can inspire others to do that. I think there's a great story of sustainability here."

He regards UAE’s commitment to achieve net-zero by 2050 a bold and courageous stand. "Even though it’s not what is traditionally called a large country, the UAE is showing the way and committing to hold COP 28 [in Abu Dhabi in 2023]. It is a great responsibility in the context of climate change."

Talking about the UAE joining as a non-regional observer member at the Central American Integration System (Sistema de la Integración Centroamericana or SICA), he said, "Well, its significance is how we can get closer to each other. SICA [representing eight central American countries] is the fourth largest market in Latin America, and UAE is a busines hub in the Middle East."

A country sans army

About 73 years ago, Costa Rica decided to dissolve its military because it believed militaries as main force that caused civil wars and coups in Central America, instead of real work of handling external threats. By this the country was able to establish rule of law and institutions.

Quesada believes that not having an army helps in investing in education and healthcare. "And it has worked well!"

 WAM