The following article from 2003 from La Nacion discusses foreign interest in expanding protections for the Eastern Tropical Pacific, an issue that is still actively being discussed and re-advanced by environmental organizations in 2021.
France donates $1.2 million to protect Cocos Island
November 4, 2003
San José, Nov 4 (ACAN-EFE) .- The French government today donated nearly $1.2 million dollars to Costa Rica as part of a cooperation project for the protection of marine and terrestrial biodiversity of Cocos Island, which has been declared a World Heritage Site.
The signing of the agreement for the donation was carried out by the French Secretary of Foreign Relations, Renaud Muselier, in an official visit that he carried out today in Costa Rica.
The money will be supplemented with more than one million dollars from the Costa Rican government and a similar figure from the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP), to complete more than $3.5 million dollars.
The objective of the project is to reduce threats to the marine and terrestrial biodiversity of Cocos Island through fishing control policies and the development of environmentally friendly tourism, indicates the joint statement also signed by the vice minister of Costa Rican Environment, Allan Flores.
In addition, it will be the beginning of the creation of an oceanic park that serves as a biological corridor and conserves resources in the triangle formed between Cocos Island, Galapagos (Ecuador) and the Gorgona and Coiba Islands (Panama).
Muselier told the press that this visit was “very important from a political point of view”, since they are two nations with “traditions, principles and common history.”
“We are countries that share the same vision of the world” as well as a great concern for environmental issues, he added.
The Costa Rican Foreign Minister, Roberto Tovar, stressed that Muselier’s visit served to strengthen bilateral relations between Costa Rica and France, nations that have based their history on “respect for human rights, democracy and institutions.” ACAN-EFE
Read the original coverage from La Nacion at https://www.nacion.com/archivo/francia-dona-12-millones-de-dolares-para-proteger-isla-del-coco/7MIK45FHHZFMTKHMNQCWSL2IOQ/story/
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