Readout
Yesterday, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, and Andrés Valenciano, Minister of Foreign Trade, Costa Rica, met bilaterally for the first time, virtually, and discussed expanding Canada and Costa Rica's already strong trading relationship.
Ministers Ng and Valenciano underscored their shared focus on increasing inclusive trade opportunities and the importance of supporting small and medium-sized enterprises. Minister Ng also promoted the Global Trade and Gender Arrangement, which recognizes the importance of gender-responsive trade policies that remove barriers to women's participation in international trade, and welcomed Costa Rica's interest in the initiative.
The ministers acknowledged the serious economic challenges that Canada, Costa Rica and countries all over the world are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They committed to increasing regional cooperation to identify priorities for and a path toward an inclusive economic recovery.
