Costa Rica has big plans for 2021, the bicentennial celebration of the nation's independence. On Tuesday, the Planning Ministry (MIDEPLAN) presented a report titled “Bicentennial Project: 2021 Development Objectives, Goals and Indicators” that identified eight central focal points for ensuring the country's continued development.

The report, which MIDEPLAN considers an “analytical tool for the future,” outlined economic, financial, environmental and social plans to be incorporated over the next decade. The goal of the report is to establish short and long term goals and benchmarks that will help Costa Rica become a “developed country” – an often-mentioned objective of President-elect Laura Chinchilla.

The eight areas covered by the Bicentennial Project include economics, public finances, infrastructure, society and culture, inequality, strengthening of democracy, multi-year budgeting and environment. Within the eight topic areas, there were a total of 29 different objectives considered integral to development.

Although most of the objectives included in the report lacked details on how they might be achieved, the report did emphasize necessary investment in infrastructure, which has “lagged behind for two decades,” as well as the importance of educating citizens regarding threats to the country's environment.

The MIDEPLAN report was created in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program.