The UK trade envoy to Central America, Jessica Morden MP, undertook her first official visit to Costa Rica from 11 to 13 June 2025. The visit aimed to strengthen the UK Costa Rica trade relationship, reinforce UK commercial interests, and highlight the UK’s global leadership on climate resilience and sustainable finance.

During her programme, the trade envoy met with key government officials, business leaders and representatives from British companies to explore new opportunities to advance trade and investment. This included a meeting with Costa Rica’s Minister of Foreign Trade, Manuel Tovar, where she reaffirmed the UK’s support for Costa Rica’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The UK formally became a member of CPTPP in December 2024.

The trade envoy also engaged with British companies operating in Costa Rica to gain insight into the investment landscape and identify opportunities for growth. A meeting with the British-Costa Rican Chamber of Commerce provided further perspective on the Chamber’s role in supporting UK businesses interests in the country.

The trade envoy visited UK firms Smith & Nephew and AstraZeneca, to discuss how the Department for Business and Trade could continue to support their growth in Costa Rica. She concluded her visit with a stop at Country Day School, part of the UK-headquartered Nord Anglia Education group, touching on how the UK could support the delivery of British educational excellence in Costa Rica.

Speaking at the King’s Birthday Party reception in San José, the trade envoy said:

This visit offers me a valuable opportunity to further strengthen our extensive trade and investment ties, and to engage with many of you who are so passionate about the opportunities to boost bilateral prosperity.

The UK Government’s number one mission is clear: economic growth. Our new industrial and trade strategy reflects this priority – grounded in long-term stability, a renewed commitment to free and fair trade, and a pro-business approach.

The United Kingdom’s trade envoy programme is a network of parliamentarians integral to supporting the government’s growth mission by providing additional international trade and investment support to ministers.

They play a crucial role in supporting the Department for Business and Trade’s growth priorities, in particular through helping deliver the industrial and trade strategies and attracting foreign direct investment to every region in the UK.