Former Costa Rican President to be Honoured
Thursday evening in Coral Gables, Florida,  the Association of Bi-National Chambers of Commerce is to present to Oscar Arías Sanchez, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and a former president of Costa Rica, with its award for leadership for global trade.

The ceremony, to begin at 8 p.m., at The Biltmore Hotel, calls for Arías to receive recognition for his major impact on international trade and actions positively influencing the well-being and prosperity of countries and their people.

Like past winners - who include the former presidents of Poland, Nicaragua, Bolivia and the Inter-American Development Bank - Arías is to travel to South Florida to pick up his award from Miami-Dade-based ABiCC. The local group is the umbrella organization for 43 bi-national chambers of commerce that represent countries from all continents.

ABiCC said Arías assumed office in Costa Rica at a time of great regional discord.

"He drafted a peace plan in 1987 to end the regional crisis," the group said. "Widely recognized as the Arías Peace Plan, his initiative culminated in the signing of a procedure to establish a firm and lasting peace in Central America by all the Central American presidents on Aug. 7, 1987. In that same year, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize."

Arías is also known for his capable management of the Costa Rican economy during his presidential term, ABiCC said.

"He believed in minimal government intervention and bureaucracy as a means to a prosperous economy," the group said.

"Under his leadership, Costa Rica's economy thrived and served as a model for neighboring countries. During his term of office, Costa Rica maintained its stronghold as the richest country in the region, with the healthiest economy and highest standard of living."