After several years as Director of Economic Affairs for Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Michal Gur-Aryeh will go on to work directly in the region, where she arrives with a broad portfolio that could provide opportunities for cooperation.
She was appointed as the first ambassador of the State of Israel in Costa Rica and, although she is completing her accreditation, she is already attending to the relations between both countries that are celebrating 75 years.
“I can say that for me this is a dream come true and a great honor,” described the designated ambassador.Given her previous position, she already knows Costa Rica and identifies areas where she is working and others where it can be deepen.
“I participated in the high-level bilateral visits that took place over the past year and saw the great opportunities for our relations. We are two dynamic and enterprising countries, which are already doing great things together, but we can (and will do) much more,” she stressed.
Michal Gur-Aryeh is currently the Designated Ambassador. The previous week she presented the style copy of his appointment and the next step will be the Presentation of Credentials before the President of the Republic, one of the most important acts within Diplomacy (Chancery).
From culture to economy, through the environment
For the designated ambassador, relations between Israel and Costa Rica are at a level of strong friendship.It highlights that linkage programs in agricultural technology, scientific innovation, cybersecurity and economic cooperation are active; as well as cultural exchanges and tourism. To this is added the expectations for a trade agreement that broadens the rapprochement.
“In the roadmap for our relations, we are developing a framework for close cooperation between the innovation ecosystems of both countries. We are advancing towards the signing of a free trade agreement, which would allow greater trade between the two nations; and further strengthen our relationship”, she commented.
In between are also opportunities for cooperation, in which, according to the diplomat, both countries can learn from each other
“Costa Rica, for its part, has a highly diversified economy, which allows it to cooperate with the introduction of technology in productive sectors, such as agriculture, where Israel has accumulated great experience that today positions it as a world leader. Israel is not a large exporter of agricultural products; Today it is dedicated to the export of the necessary technology to produce in scenarios of climate change. Israeli technology can make Costa Rican agricultural products more sustainable, efficient and profitable”, she exemplified.
He also mentioned similar areas where experiences can feed back
“Another sector in which they coincide is that of medical devices. Costa Rica aspires to become a regional hub, Israel today is home to 700 companies related to medical devices and has the largest number of medical patents in the world. This opens a door where the needs of both can complement each other”, he quoted.To this she also added issues of cyber security, smart mobility or water technologies.Last March, Costa Rica and Israel formalized plans to negotiate a free trade agreement (Comex)..
75 years of friendship with Israel
Regarding friendship and politics, Gur-Aryeh begins by recalling the friendship between the two countries since the creation of the State of Israel in 1948.“We will always remember the active role of Costa Rica in helping to establish the State of Israel. We have both moved from developing to developed countries, based on our shared values: freedom, democracy and entrepreneurship,” he said.To this is added models, such as health and education, in which the two nations are recognized and that various conditions make Costa Rica and Israel similar.
“We are really not that different, we share common values, we are two solid democracies, small in territory and striving to give our citizens the best,” she described.To this is added that for years training has been provided to share the technical advances that Israel has achieved, with the aim that they can be replicated.
More than 4,000 Costa Ricans have had that opportunity in various fields at Israel
“The idea is that they know how Israel has implemented technology in sectors such as education, agriculture, citizen security, environmental management, among others, the objective is that these professionals can “tropicalize” these success stories in their country, and they can also share knowledge with their colleagues, in their workplaces and communities,” she concluded.
