H.E. Mr José Maria Figueres Olsen
President of the Republic of Costa Rica

  

  The efforts of UNESCO to bring to fruition,
the World Solar Programme 1996-2005
a re undoubtedly one of the more important
contributions to the development of our
nations .
It is obvious that the problem of production and
consumption of energy is of paramount importance
for the economy of each country, and that
the search for alternative energy sources is vital.
Costa Rica has promoted several forms of production
using renewable energies, such as
h y d roelectricity, geothermal, wind and solar,
thus enabling us to reach an electrification rate
in excess of 94%. Recourse to solar energy has
enabled the development of several projects in
national parks, indigenous villages and isolated
human settlements, leading to a sustainable
development in the electricity sector.
We, the countries of the Region, must support
together the World Solar Programme 1996-2005,
in order to comply with the inescapable re s p o nsibility
and the urgent task of improving the
quality of life of our people.

 

 

H.E. Mr José Maria Figueres Olsen
President of the Republic of Costa Rica
February 1998

Senegal