The president of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado, announced on Wednesday the postponement of a trip he had planned to take next week to the United Arab Emirates because of the tension in the Middle East.
“We will reschedule the visit to the United Arab Emirates,” Alvarado posted on Twitter.
“Costa Rica calls for peace in the different regions in conflict, especially in the Middle East,” he added.
The suspension of the trip was announced a day after Iran launched missiles against Iraqi bases that house US soldiers, in retaliation for the assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.
Alvarado planned to visit the United Arab Emirates from January 12 to 16 in search of cooperation resources for the development of coastal and rural areas of Costa Rica.
His agenda included a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to sign agreements on renewable energy, biodiversity and halal certification — used in the food industry to identify products that were prepared according to Muslim law — that could help to open markets for Costa Rica in the Arab world.