The Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) ratified its commitment to the Republic of Costa Rica, as one of its founding partners, to support the fight against the health and economic crisis derived from the COVID-19 pandemic with different measures.
The Chief Country Officer, Mauricio Chacón, and the executive delegate of the UCR Foundation, Isabel Martínez, signed, together with the President of the Republic, Carlos Alvarado, the non-reimbursable cooperation for US $ 500,000 for the Clodomiro Picado Institute of the University of Costa Rica (ICP-UCR) that will help advance research for the production of a therapeutic formulation of antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and the treatment of patients with COVID-19.
In turn, Chacón recalled that, since the beginning of the pandemic in March, CABEI launched the “Emergency Support and Preparedness Program for COVID-19 and its economic reactivation” for partner countries, which includes economic donations and medical supplies, also new financing mechanisms adapted to the sectors hardest hit by the crisis.
Specific contributions
Specifically to the Republic of Costa Rica, CABEI has provided the following support throughout these almost six months with:
– A donation of $ 1 million to combat COVID-19.
– Two donations of medical supplies for more than US $ 435,000.
– Resources for $ 350 million available to the region through the financial sector for MSMEs. – The approval of a loan for US $ 300 million that will financially support the National Guarantee Fund.
– The recent approval of a loan at the regional level that will allow each partner country to access $ 50 million to acquire the vaccine against COVID-19.
For his part, the President of the Republic, Carlos Alvarado Quesada indicated that the half million dollars will be used for economic needs to expand the equine plasma project of the Clodomiro Picado Institute, thereby producing 25 thousand bottles that contribute to the treatment that the patients will receive. Alvarado thanked CABEI for the welcome made to his request and for making this important donation for this promising national research.
“We are deeply grateful to the Government of the Republic for allowing us to contribute in the efforts to face this difficult situation, which allows us to ratify our commitment to be the financial arm of the countries of the region,” stressed Chacón.
Dr. Adrián Pinto, vice-rector for research at the UCR, thanked all the people of Costa Rica for the great effort to have a solid health and public education system. For Dr. Pinto, these are the two pillars on which the social rule of law rests and which, without a doubt, is responsible for Costa Rica having one of the lowest death rates from COVID-19 in the entire continent.
“Investing in research linked to society is investing in development and is investing in hope. In this context, today we reap the fruits of that investment. Today we have various initiatives from universities to combat the pandemic in all areas of knowledge “, highlighted Dr. Pinto.
