The relationships between the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and the Republic of Costa Rica started in 1953, after a common initiative of the Count of Billy and the Prince Czartorysky, who was appointed by decree new Delegate of the Order of Malta to be present at the investiture ceremony of the new President of Costa Rica.

In 1957, the Republic of Costa Rica and the Order of Malta permanently confirmed bilateral diplomatic relations also through the exchange of Ambassadors.

Many visits on behalf of the Order of Malta and Costa Rica’s governments have taken place over the years. In 1997, the then Grand Master Frà Andrew Bertie went to Costa Rica to visit numerous hospitals and medical centres managed by the Order, such as the post-operative ward set up in the “Reforma” penitentiary centre by the Order’s Embassy. Following this official visit, on 25th January 2000, the President Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Echeverría, accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Roberto Rojas, was received by the Grand Master Fra’ Andrew Bertie in Rome.

The Order of Malta has continued to increase its presence in the American country: the following year, 2001, the Sovereign Council approved the establishment of the Costa Rica Association.

On 16th June 2006 the Grand Master Frà Andrew Bertie received at the Magistral Palace the President of the Republic of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias Sanchez, Nobel Peace Prize Laurate 1987.

On 8th November 2013 the Grand Chancellor Jean-Pierre Mazery met the President of Costa Rica Laura Chinchilla Miranda and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship, José Enrique Castillo Barrantes.

Through the official visit of the President of Costa Rica Luis Guillermo Solís in 2016, it was agreed to continue the fruitful bonds and further strengthen bilateral cooperation: the main subject on the agenda was the Order of Malta’s humanitarian aid to the migratory flows that have repeatedly arrived in Costa Rica.

Cooperation with Costa Rica stepped up further in 2017 when the then Grand Chancellor Albrecht Boeselager signed a cooperation agreement with the Foreign Minister of Costa Rica, Manuel A. Gonzalez Sanz; both parties agreed to support and implement measures for facilitating, developing and diversifying their social, humanitarian and health cooperation, with particular emphasis on the areas of healthcare, food security, voluntary services and disaster risk reduction.

In the 70th anniversary year of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Order and Costa Rica, the Grand Chancellor Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo received at the Magistral Palace Arnaldo André Tinoco, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica. Minister Tinoco renewed the interest that Costa Rica and the Order of Malta’s cooperation in assisting migrants crossing the country to reach the United States be enhanced together with other health and social joint projects.