Sánchez launches an international appeal for solutions to the crisis of forcibly displaced people in Central America and Mexico

San José (Costa Rica)

The solidarity event, organised by Spain as chair of the MIRPS Support Platform, with support from Costa Rica, Guatemala, UNHCR and the OAS, has already raised 90 million euros, a figure that is expected to continue to rise. Within this fundraising, Spain will contribute 6.3 million euros for the period 2021-2022 to directly support the action plans of MIRPS countries; 5.3 million euros will be managed through the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and a pioneering contribution of 1 million euros will go to the MIRPS fund of the Organisation of American States (OAS).

Foto: Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la BellacasaThe President of the Government said: "With one million forcibly displaced people in the region, the situation is dire. This reality, which particularly affects women and children, has complex economic, environmental and security causes, which COVID-19 has added to.

MIRPS (Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework), is made up of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras, and is supported by the UNHCR and the OAS. Over the past five years, Spain has directed development aid of 350 million euros to MIRPS countries.

MIRPS countries, members of the MIRPS Support Platform, took part in the event: Canada, the EU, the US, ECLAC, the IDB, UNHCR, the OAS, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, France, Switzerland, as well as the Holy See, Germany, Japan, Ireland and the Dominican Republic and international financial institutions and entities such as the ILO, SICA, Rotary International, WB, CABEI, UNDP, IOM, ICRC and UNICEF.

Spain- SICA Summit

Foto: Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la BellacasaAfter the event, Sánchez participated in the Spain-SICA (Central American Integration System) - celebrating its 30th anniversary this year - Summit, together with the presidents of Costa Rica, Guatemala and Honduras, the prime minister of Belize, the vice-president of El Salvador, and the foreign ministers of the Dominican Republic and Panama. The goal of this meeting was to address sustainable, green and inclusive economic recovery with technological transformation and innovation, and SICA-Spain regional cooperation.

Central America is a priority region for Spain, to which our country is fully committed. Spain supports the Central American integration process and the region, and the work of SICA as a tool for development, social cohesion and the fight against poverty.

Since 2003, Spain's Official Development Assistance to SICA has amounted to almost 83 million euros. The Spain-SICA Fund, which this year celebrates its 15th anniversary, works on the following objectives: deepening economic integration; strengthening institutions; supporting the Central American Security Strategy; environmental sustainability, human rights and gender equality.

Spain, which considers the first step to recovery as overcoming the pandemic, recently announced the donation of 22.5 million vaccines through COVAX "to leave no one behind", of which 7.5 million will go to Latin America. Spain will donate 50 million euros to the GAVI vaccine alliance through ACT-Accelerator, a mechanism co-led by Spain from the outset, which aims to accelerate the development, production and distribution of vaccines. Spain is also collaborating with the C-TAP initiative, launched by Costa Rica, to openly licence a serological test for COVID-19, which has been developed by CSIC researchers.

Cooperation in the fight against climate change

Foto: Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la BellacasaSánchez concluded his agenda with a visit to the National Meteorological Institute of Costa Rica. This centre has benefited from Spanish cooperation, which has enabled Costa Rican meteorologists to be trained and specialised equipment acquired. Costa Rica is a leader in the fight against climate change, an initiative that has been supported by Spanish cooperation since 2015.

Tomorrow, the president's last day in Costa Rica, he will hold a bilateral meeting with his Costa Rican counterpart, Carlos Alvarado, together with whom he will close a Spanish-Costa Rican business forum. In addition, his agenda includes a meeting with prominent women from Costa Rican political, economic and social life.

Non official translation