Video Q&A: Costa Rica's President - "It's Time for a Woman to Run the UN"

Costa Rica is not only bringing Central America together as one voice on climate change, says President Luis Guillermo Solís, but it's also expanding relations with Africa and the Middle East to develop regional industries within the Caribbean and Latin America. "You have to add diplomacy to trade policies. You can't do one without the other and be successful," said the president, who sat down with AS/COA President and CEO Susan Segal while in New York City for the UN General Assembly. Solís said that regional efforts to work together on trade and tourism help Costa Rica to join in on strategies in the works. "This is the case with partners such as Colombia and will be the case, I hope, when the Cuban tourism market becomes completely normalized," he said.

Solís talked about a $300 million project to expand broadband for educational purposes, as well as efforts to boost math and science education. "We have not been teaching children to enjoy math and science and we have to," said the president.

He also spoke of of his efforts to support gender diversity on a multilateral level, saying: "It is already time for a woman to run the United Nations."