UN General Assembly
2012

Moreover, Costa Rica is proud to have headed up one of the most successful mediation processes in the history of our hemisphere. In the mid-1980s, various armed conflicts bloodied our brotherly countries in Central America. There seemed to be no way out of the conflict. However, thanks to the tenacious leadership of former Costa Rican President Óscar Arias Sánchez, on 7 August 1987, the region’s Heads of State signed the Central American peace plan in Guatemala. That leadership earned our compatriot and President the Nobel Peace Prize. The success of the peace plan stemmed from the double commitment of the signatories: to cease hostilities, and to address their root causes. Thanks to this comprehensive approach, the vision of the five Presidents of the Central American isthmus and effective international support, Central America silenced its guns and achieved peace. It was a peace founded on democracy and the commitment to development and justice. Unfortunately, the region today faces another challenge of similar proportions. I refer to the onslaught of drug trafficking and international organized crime.