Representatives of five British companies travelled to Costa Rica this week to participate in an infrastructure mission focused on identifying business opportunities and generating strategic alliances with potential partners in Costa Rica.

Representatives from Arup, Bechtel, QGMI, Steer Group and WSP, world-renowned for their expertise in engineering, construction, mobility solutions, and design and implementation of infrastructure projects, among other services, held meetings with Congresswoman Carolina Delgado, Secretary of the Infrastructure Commission of the Legislative Assembly, and with officials from the National Concessions Council (CNC), the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) and the firm Arias Law.

They also spoke with officials from institutions like the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Policy (MIDEPLAN), the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) and the Ministry of Foreign Trade (COMEX) at a reception at the Residence of the British Ambassador, Ben Lyster-Binns.

At these meetings, the British companies explored opportunities to strengthen their presence in the country, learning more about Costa Rica’s aspirations to update and expand infrastructure projects at the highest international standards.

Ambassador Ben Lyster-Binns noted:

The companies that visited us this week are among the leaders in their respective fields and represent the best of what the UK has to offer in the infrastructure sector, from urban planning to sustainable transport projects to designing future-proof cities.

They are also committed to implementing innovative solutions that support the UK Government’s clean growth agenda.

The topic of public-private partnerships (PPPs) was of particular interest, since, according to the Embassy’s Director for Business and Trade, Camila Toscana:

this model provides an opportunity to develop infrastructure projects that are of key importance for Costa Rica’s sustainable growth and to improve the quality of life of the citizens.

Many of the companies that took part in the mission have offices in the Latin American region, so their interest in the Costa Rican market represents a natural step in expanding their regional presence, offering quality solutions that comply with international best practices.

The delegation finalized the mission meeting with representatives of CoST, the Infrastructure Transparency Initiative, financed by the UK Government, which promotes transparency and accountability in public infrastructure projects.