Wednesday, February 12, 2025
name of Prensa Latina
Bandera inglesa
English Edition
Search
Close this search box.
name of Prensa Latina

NEWS

NEWS

Panama and Italy to strengthen trade and cultural ties

Panama City, Jan 24 (Prensa Latina) Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino met today in Rome with his Italian counterpart, Sergio Mattarella, to strengthen ties of support and mutual cooperation in trade, education, culture and scientific development.

According to the statement from Palacio de las Garzas (headquarters of the Executive), during the meeting Mulino also reiterated that he will be inflexible in sovereignty over the Canal, in the face of the intentions of his American counterpart, Donald Trump, to regain control of the interoceanic route.

During the talks of over an hour at the Quirinal Palace, where the Presidency of the European country is housed, the visitor expressed his hope of being able to count on the support of the international community in this regard, to which the Italian president responded that it is tradition in the Western world to respect friendly countries.

The relaunching of cooperation relations was the main point of the meeting, in which Mattarella assured Mulino that Italy is at Panama’s side in its relations with the European Union (EU).

In particular, space, university and research, and new infrastructure were pointed out as areas of collaboration, while Panama also proposed the creation of a business cooperation forum to strengthen relations between the two countries.

Mulino also suggested to his Italian counterpart to coordinate business missions between the two countries in order to increase their trade balance between both parties, presenting major projects that will be developed, including the Panama-David-Border Train, and other developments in the logistics sector.

For his part, Mattarella emphasized collaboration in scientific development, including the Copernicus project for the development of applications in favor of the Earth and against the effects of climate change, according to the statement.

The official report also states that Mattarella stressed the management of the Canal in Panamanian hands has been an example of international collaboration and offered all the international support and respect of all friendly countries, and above all the support of the West.

Mulino, for his part, expressed to Mattarella the interest in having a rapprochement with the EU through Italy to seek the removal of Panama from the discriminatory tax lists in which it has remained since 2019, since the isthmus country is not a tax haven, in addition to the fact that they are not related to the active role it plays today as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

For tomorrow Saturday, Mulino is expected to be received by Pope Francis at the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican, in what will be the first meeting between the two.

ef/lam/ga

LATEST NEWS
RELATED