Queen Mathilde meets Costa Rican president on Unicef mission

Queen Mathilde of Belgium met Costa Rican president Rodrigo Chaves and first lady Signe Zeikate at the Presidential Palace in San José on Monday as part of her three-day Unicef mission.

The Queen, who arrived in Costa Rica on Sunday, was welcomed by children waving national and Unicef flags. Unlike during other state visits, no military honours were given, as Costa Rica has no army.

Following a meeting with government ministers, Queen Mathilde visited a coffee plantation supporting children of seasonal workers. Later, she observed a community programme for vulnerable children.

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Her visit, running until Wednesday, highlights Unicef's work with migrant children and efforts to combat childhood obesity, a growing issue in Costa Rica, where one in five young people is overweight. 

The Queen, an honorary chair of Unicef Belgium, has undertaken 10 humanitarian missions with the organisation.

^{Queen Mathilde meets Costa Rican president Rodrigo Chaves Robles and first lady Signe Zeikate in San Jose © BELGA PHOTO BENOIT DOPPAGNE}

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