Since the 1960s almost 30,000 individuals from the developing and growth countries that Denmark collaborates with have received a Danida fellowship either as Masters or PhD students or as participants in Danida Fellowship Centre’s capacity developing learning programmes. In 2017, we inaugurated the Danida Alumni Prize to pay tribute to the achievements of Danida alumni. The first prize was awarded to Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
In 2021, we had the great honour of awarding the prize to Dr Olman Segura-Bonilla, Director General of the International Centre for Economic Policies for Sustainable Development for his pioneering of the use of innovation and new knowledge to advance the green transition in Costa Rica and his tireless efforts in doing so. Dr Olman Segura-Bonilla participated in Aalborg University’s research project “Sustainable Development Strategies for Central America” under Danida’s Enhancing Research Capacity, ENRECA programme, earning his PhD from the university in 2000.
In his PhD project, Segura-Bonilla developed concepts for reducing carbon emissions that later became an essential part of Costa Rica’s overall climate strategy. His innovative thinking and his ability to create and implement new knowledge has contributed to placing Costa Rica at the forefront of the green transition. Moreover, his interest in sustainable development has also made Costa Rica a pioneering country when it comes to eco-tourism.
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