Costa Rica 2013 Blog: Panel – CAFTA-DR’s Impact on Foreign Trade, Attracting Investment, and Business Development

By
Carin Zissis

At the AS/COA conference in San José, panelists discussed the CAFTA-DR trade agreement and its impact on investment and business development.

Speakers:

  • Arturo Condo, President, INCAE Business School
  • Jeff Hornbeck, Associate Director, PATRI Inc.
  • Julio Lizano, CEO, VITEC
  • Jaime Molina, President, Costa Rican Union of Chambers and Associations of the Private Sector (UCCAEP)
  • Muni Figueres, Ambassador of Costa Rica to the United States (Moderator)

Ambassador Muni Fugueres led the discussion on what CAFTA-DR has meant for Costa Rica in terms of trade and business development. 

INCAE's Arturo Condo looked not only at the past, but also what is to come, noting that the country must overcome bottlenecks, such as the the high cost of logistics, saying "It's not just about which president we elect next, but how we work together."

PATRI's Jeff Hornbeck described CAFTA-DR as "neither the beginning nor the end" of Costa Rica's development and identified four areas for progress: open markets, a theme in which Costa Rica should be a role model; improved infrastructure; ensuring everyone experiences the benefits; and the necessity for a strategy for the next level of integration. VITEC's Julio Lizano echoed the need for improved infrastructure as an important part of securing a value chain. 

UCCAEP's Jaime Molina said that five years into CAFTA-DR, Costa Rica "is another country," and that the agreement has had a very positive impact in terms of business. However, Molina cautioned that some sectors have benefited more than others—a problem that must be solved because otherwise the debate over CAFTA-DR will continue, despite its positive impact.

Watch the remarks (en español):