Panama President Mulino Arrives in Vietnam to Promote Agreements and Attract Investment.
The President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, arrived this Monday, October 5, in Hanoi, Vietnam, where he will fulfill an official agenda of three days focused on strengthening bilateral relations and promoting new opportunities for cooperation, trade and investment between both countries. The president traveled accompanied by the first lady, Maricel Cohen de Mulino, and was received by Vietnamese authorities and diplomatic representatives from both countries.
One of the main objectives of the visit is to promote Panama as a logistics platform and gateway for Vietnamese products to Latin America, with special attention to the maritime sector. The agenda includes meetings with Vietnamese government officials, meetings with businesspeople and representatives of the maritime sector, as well as a business forum aimed at facilitating new business contacts. During the visit, the signing of nine agreements and memoranda of understanding in different areas of cooperation is expected.
Agreements in Agriculture, Aviation and the Maritime Sector.
Among the planned instruments are two memoranda of understanding related to agricultural cooperation. One will establish a general framework for strengthening bilateral cooperation and the exchange of experiences, while the second will focus on technical assistance and knowledge sharing. The signing of memoranda with maritime universities is also being considered to promote academic cooperation, training and exchange between institutions specializing in this sector.
These agreements will be complemented by cooperation instruments between diplomatic academies and an aviation agreement aimed at strengthening technical exchange between the aeronautical authorities of Panama and Vietnam. The agenda also includes cooperation agreements in tourism and customs, as well as an agreement between the chambers of commerce of both countries to facilitate business contacts, exchange of information and new business opportunities. In terms of security, a framework for cooperation between the competent authorities is planned to strengthen the prevention and combating of different forms of crime.
Panama Seeks to Become a Gateway for Vietnamese Products.
The strategy proposed by Panama seeks to leverage its geographic location, the Canal, and its logistics infrastructure to facilitate the entry of Vietnamese products into Latin American markets. The Panamanian government has indicated that the visit also seeks to generate opportunities for cooperation in industrial development, agriculture, education and new technologies. For their part, Vietnamese authorities have expressed interest in deepening ties with Panama and developing new cooperation programs, highlighting the role of the Panama Canal in international trade.
Presidential Agenda.
This Tuesday, October 6, Mulino will participate in the forum “An Ocean of Opportunities”, where he will meet with representatives of shipping companies and the maritime sector of Vietnam. He will then be received by the Secretary-General and President of Vietnam, Tô Lâm, in an official welcoming ceremony that will include a high-level working meeting. Meetings are scheduled for Wednesday, October 7, with the President of the National Assembly of Vietnam, Trần Thanh Mẫn, and with the Vietnamese Prime Minister, Lê Minh Hưng.
The agenda will conclude with Mulino’s participation in the Panama-Vietnam Business Forum, entitled “Connecting Markets, Creating Opportunities,” organized by the Embassy of Panama in Vietnam and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI). The meeting will bring together more than 70 Vietnamese business leaders from different sectors and authorities linked to trade and industry.
During the forum, an agreement is also expected to be signed between the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP) and the VCCI, with the aim of strengthening business ties and promoting Panama as a logistics and services platform to facilitate access for Vietnamese products to Latin American markets.
Panamanian Delegation.
On this leg of the Asian tour, President Mulino is accompanied by Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha; Canal Minister José Ramón Icaza; Minister of Agricultural Development Roberto Linares; General Manager of Tocumen International Airport José Ruiz; and Kristelle Getzler, Secretary of Economic Affairs and Competitiveness. The visit to Vietnam is part of the official tour that the president is carrying out in Asia, after completing an agenda in Singapore focused on strengthening bilateral relations, logistical cooperation and attracting investments.
