Manuel Tovar

Minister of Foreign Trade | Government of Costa Rica

Costa Rican. Juris Doctor from the Autonomous University of Central America, he holds a master’s degree in International Law and International Relations from the Complutense University of Madrid and a postgraduate degree in Administrative Law from the University of Salamanca. Mr. Tovar had professional updating courses from Harvard University and the London School of Economics and Political Science and is PhD Candidate in Political Science.

Prior to his appointment as Minister of Foreign Trade, Mr. Tovar developed a career in the public sector in the following positions: Representative and Head of the Costa Rican Delegation to the OECD (2016-2021); Special Envoy to the OECD (2013-2015); Trade Attaché at the Embassy of Costa Rica to the Kingdom of Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Special Envoy at the Costa Rican Mission to the European Union (2008-2013); Trade Negotiator, responsible for dispute resolution and institutional matters, as well as coordinator of commercial relations with Canada and Chile at the Ministry of Foreign Trade (2005-2008).

Mr. Tovar was also Delegate of Costa Rica to the World Customs Organization and to the European Investment Bank in Luxembourg. He speaks Spanish, English, French and Italian.