According to an official statement, at the inauguration of an exhibition commemorating the day at Tocumen International Airport, FAO Coordinator for Mesoamerica, Adoniram Sanches, urged continued collaboration to strengthen governance and management, with an emphasis on institutional modernization and technical training.
He also identified key areas of this collaboration as updating the legal framework, adopting technologies, and preventing illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
The Central American nation is still waiting to be removed from the “yellow card”—imposed by the European Union—and regain its “green card.”
Regarding the matter, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Hoyos pointed out that they expect to complete the inspection within the first six months of 2026 and anticipate full compliance with all inspected requirements to move from a yellow to a green card, thus ensuring that these products can access an important market like Europe.
In this regard, the FAO representative highlighted that the organization has supported the country through specialized assistance in the adoption and implementation of international instruments, such as the Agreement on Port State Measures; and has supported the Aquatic Resources Authority of Panama (ARAP) in strengthening its capacities for monitoring, control, and surveillance.
jdt/arm/jcm/ga
