What Canada can learn from Costa Rica
In 1948 following a civil war, Costa Rica abolished its military. The Constitution of the Costa Rica forbids the establishment of a permanent army. For over 70 years, the Central American country has not spent any public funds on a military, so it has been able to invest more in health care, education and the environment making it one of the countries with the highest standards of living and one of the happiest countries in Latin America.
Costa Rica prioritizes peace, disarmament and multilateral cooperation. The country hosts the United Nations’ University for Peace and has a National Peace and Justice Ministry. Costa Rica led the international negotiations for the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). It has just announced its intention to establish a Declaration of Peace for the Ocean. At the UN, Costa Rica is a widely respected voice calling for the reduction of global military spending and the arms trade and the use of diplomacy for conflict mediation. By contrast, Canada has increased arms exports, boosted military spending and recruitment, and refused to join the TPNW because of our membership in NATO.
Costa Rica is an international leader on biodiversity conservation and environmental protection. Over the past thirty years, the country has expanded marine protected areas and has doubled its forest cover. Costa Rica has an ambitious National Decarbonization Plan and can power most of its electricity on renewable energy. In 2021, at the COP 26 Climate Summit in Glasgow, Costa Rica launched the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA). Canada is not joining BOGA, is building new pipelines and oil & gas projects, and has failed to meet every climate target.
Costa Rica’s path of demilitarization has led to its admirable global leadership on disarmament and decarbonization. Canada should follow the inspiring example of Costa Rica and demilitarize. Canada should withdraw from NATO, reduce military spending and re-allocate it to social and environmental needs, and reprioritize peace and diplomacy over the use of armed force and arms exports.
Articles:
“Costa Rica’s peace dividend: How abolishing the military paid off,” By David P. Barash, LA Times, 2013: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-xpm-2013-dec-15-la-oe-barash-costa-rica-demilitarization-20131208-story.html
“Costa Rica’s active role in disarmament: a case for demilitarization” Carlos Umana, 2020: https://www.pressenza.com/2020/12/costa-ricas-active-role-in-disarmament-a-case-for-demilitarization/
“The Demilitarization of Costa Rica” Patrick Buscone, 2017: https://crossworks.holycross.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1011&context=honors
“Why Costa Rica Tops the Happiness Index: How a focus on peace is helping this Central American country top the Happy Planet Index,” Lisa Gale Garrigues, Yes Magazine, 2019:
https://www.yesmagazine.org/issue/climate-action/2019/01/31/why-costa-rica-tops-the-happiness-index
Resources:
Costa Rica’s Ministry of Foreign Relations: https://www.rree.go.cr/
More about the film “A Bold Peace”: http://aboldpeace.com/
To watch or buy the film “A Bold Peace”: https://www.filmsforaction.org/watch/a-bold-peace/
Speech by Costa Rica at the United Nations General Assembly, September 2022: https://gadebate.un.org/en/77/costa-rica
Follow on Twitter, Maritza Chan, she is the first Female Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the United Nations: https://twitter.com/MaritzaChanV
Videos:
"Long-term Cost-Benefit Analysis of Demilitarization: Costa Rica's Success Story" (2012):
At the invitation of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, Ambassador of Costa Rica to Japan, H.E. Mr. Alvaro Cedeño-Molinari spoke about the long-term effect of demilitarization of Costa Rica and shared his rich diplomatic experience and knowledge in the field of peace research.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0he98IwJJ4
“Empathy in Tourism: The role of travelers to promote peace” by Alvaro Cedeño-Molinari, former Costa Rican diplomat (2019): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKXR-phTRxk