The European Union has launched the HOPE programme in Costa Rica, a €10 million initiative to expand opportunities for regularisation, protection and socio-economic inclusion for forcibly displaced persons and migrants, while strengthening the capacities of host institutions and communities. The programme was presented on 1 July 2026 at the Refugee Unit of the General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners (DGME) with the participation of Costa Rican ministers, EU and Spanish ambassadors, and representatives of UNHCR and IOM.
HOPE will be implemented in partnership with the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Bread for the World and Oxfam. The programme aims to support the strengthening of migration and asylum processes, access to documentation, legal guidance, essential services and social protection mechanisms. EU Ambassador Pierre-Louis Lempereur stated that the programme will promote economic inclusion through technical training, skills development, support for employment and entrepreneurship, and partnerships with the productive sector, generating sustainable opportunities for migrants and host communities.
Costa Rica's Minister of National Planning and Economic Policy, Carla Morales Rojas, highlighted that the programme will be deployed in the Northern Zone, particularly in border communities with Nicaragua such as Upala, Los Chiles and San Carlos, which are key entry and settlement points for migratory flows. She emphasised that the initiative responds to the national socio-demographic reality where displaced Nicaraguans coexist daily with host communities, enriching the social fabric.
The launch event brought together national and local authorities, diplomatic corps, civil society organisations, international bodies and other strategic partners. Participating national institutions included the DGME, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Policy, the Ministry of Governance and Police, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship. The programme is funded by the European Union and co-financed by partner entities.
For Costa Rican host communities, the programme is expected to bring economic benefits through labour market integration and reduced social tensions, but may strain local services in border areas. For migrants and refugees, HOPE offers a pathway to regular status, employment and stability, though access may be limited by bureaucratic hurdles. For the EU and its member states, the programme advances external migration management goals and reduces irregular onward movement, but commits significant funds with uncertain long-term sustainability. For implementing NGOs and international organisations, HOPE provides operational resources and policy influence, yet requires coordination among multiple partners with potentially differing priorities.