A few days before 2024 begins, the productive sector is clear about what the great challenges are and at the same time the opportunities to grow, generate wealth and more jobs.
Stabilizing the dollar exchange rate, recovering citizen security and improving Costa Rica’s business climate through the validation of 4×3 days, are some of the government’s urgent tasks, according to several business leaders consulted.
5G networks
Likewise, it is essential that Costa Rica advances as soon as possible in the awarding of 5G networks and that there are more people trained in the new technologies.
“Despite being a favorable year, there are challenges to address. Essentially, the departure of Costa Rica from the gray list of the European Union and the implementation of 5G technology. It is also crucial to approve exceptional days and strengthen national security policies, facing a problem that is intensifying and requires a multisectoral approach,” said Silvia Castro, president of AmCham.
Although the various sectors have different challenges and opportunities, it is also correct to affirm that there are several issues of common concern, for example, the dollar and, above all, insecurity.
In this last case, a war between drug trafficking gangs has promoted hitmen and a record number of 844 homicides, with an increase of 40% compared to the same period last year.
In the case of Limón, this is particularly worrying, since that canton has a murder rate of 85.8 per 100,000 inhabitants, which triples Mexico’s rate for 2022, which was 25.2.
“One of the main problems that affects us, immediately, is the situation with the exchange rate, precisely, the appreciation of the colon, but we also have structural problems such as the lag in infrastructure, training needs, access to financing and the growing problem with insecurity,” said Rubén Acón, president of the National Chamber of Tourism.
Opportunities
Despite the national and particular challenges in each of the sectors, it is also true that there are great opportunities for growth.In fact, 70% of national businessmen consider that President Rodrigo Chaves is doing things well to reactivate the economy.Likewise, 56% of entrepreneurs consider that this is a good time to invest and generate new jobs.
“Digital transformation continues to accelerate and offers opportunities for innovation in digital services and products, especially in sectors such as fintech, digital health and e-government with the implementation of the Digital Government Agency; Likewise, the semiconductor industry in the Americas is experiencing accelerated expansion due to US industrial policy. Costa Rica must organize to take advantage of this moment,” said Paul Fervoy, president of the Chamber of Information and Communication Technologies (Camtic).
