Booker T. Washington High School
Model United Nations Club
Country Briefing: Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a small country with a population of only 4 million people. Average income is about $4000, making it a medium-to-lower income economy. It is traditionally a neutral state, maintaining no armed forces other than police. Tourism and agriculture are its main industries.
History: Costa Rica is the rare example of a peaceful, stable Central American state and for that reason has been labeled the success story of the region. It was long inhabited by Indians, but they are a relatively small part of the population today. Spanish settlement began in the 16th century, establishing coffee plantations and small towns. Independence came in 1821, as Central Americans attempted to create a single unified republic. This experiment failed, and so Costa Rica set its own course. The people built an economy based on the export of coffee, bananas and other cash crops, as well as some ranching. US influence grew in the twentieth century. Costa Rica has known relatively little internal conflict. There was some instability in the mid-twentieth century, as Costa Ricans flirted with fascist styles of government. Instead, they abolished their military, trusting the United States and small police forces to provide security. Without the prospect of military rule, political elites were forced to compete on a democratic basis, with the result that Costa Ricans enjoy one of the best human rights records in Latin America. While neighbors like Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala were plunged into civil war and violence in the 1980s, Costa Rica was at peace, and a positive player in the international negotiations to resolve these conflicts. The economy has continued to improve as well, supporting one of the better public infrastructures (schools and hospitals) in the region. However, periodic bouts of instability have created problems of inflation, unemployment and growing public debt. On the other hand, growing tourism, especially eco-tourism, has brought new wealth to the country, and point to a brighter future for other countries in the region. More countries could attempt to capitalize on their wild spaces to attract visitors from the US and Europe. Costa Rica enjoys good trade relations with the United States, and signed a free trade agreement with Mexico in 1994.
Diplomatic Agenda: as a small, neutral state with a relatively clean human rights record, Costa Rica is in an excellent position to call for higher standards on humanitarian issues. One proposal under consideration is to create a Special Tribunal on Human Rights under the auspices of the Organization of American States. Such a Tribunal would investigate the human rights records of OAS countries, document transgressions and hold governments more accountable for their crimes. Another idea considered by some Costa Rican diplomats is the South African model of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a body created after the fall of white rule there to encourage people and the government to reveal information about human rights violations. Perhaps this model would be effective in countries endeavoring to begin a healing process after long civil wars, such as Chile, Argentina and Peru. Another humanitarian issue is the problem of transmigration. Millions of people, many of them Costa Rican, move through Central America and Mexico each year to find jobs in “El Norte” – the United States. Many of them are undocumented. Costa Rica and other countries would like the US government to declare an amnesty for these illegals, allowing them to become US citizens. As US citizens, they would have more legal security, while the money they sent back to relatives in Costa Rica could help to support the local economy. On the economic front, Costa Rica would like to attract more foreign direct investment (FDI) and foreign aid. Its needs are great – 20% of the people live in the capital, San Jose, many under conditions of gritty poverty. In particular, the telecommunications sector is weak, as the state-owned telephone company ICE has not put enough money into expanding services. Bringing in foreign companies like Ericsson or Motorola might help, but would provoke strikes by the state telephone employees. Basically, anything that would attract jobs and improved essential services would raise living standards and, incidentally, reduce the number of Costa Ricans making the trek to El Norte. Luckily, Costa Rica has a long record of peace and political stability, and there is real strength in the tourism and electronics manufacturing sectors. Costa Rica has few security concerns, other than the usual crime and smuggling, but it does count on US protection if faced by a major threat. Finally, Costa Rica has a very good environmental record. It has created large national parks to preserve wildlife, and draws a large share of its tourism income from “eco-tourism” – specialized tours of natural settings. These measures have allowed Costa Rica to benefit from their species diversity and beautiful landscapes without destroying them. Protecting and developing these natural resources is a top priority.