Emirates investments

Costa Rica has invited business persons from the United Arab Emirates to invest in tourism and logistics projects, including ports and economic zones, following a visit this month by President Luis Guillermo Solis.

Emirates for its part has a strategy of economic diversification through investments abroad, made by entities such as the Abu Dhabi Development Fund, and Dubai World.

The Fund provides grants and loans to small projects in developing countries in 52 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

World Dubai, for its part, operates several free zones and economic zones around the world, while its Leisurecorp division has global investments in the tourism and leisure sectors.

Logistics and financial services generate more than half of the value of domestic production, with Emirates being a major trade link between Asia, Africa and Europe.

Historically, the main source of income was the exploitation of oil and natural gas, which still accounts for about one-third of economic activity.

United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates - Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Jaima, Sarja and Umm al-Qaywayn.

The capital is Abu Dhabi, while the posts of both President and Prime Minister are hereditary, exercised by the monarch of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, respectively.