The Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs, Giorgio Silli, completed an institutional mission to Panama where, together with the Deputy Foreign Minister, Carlos Ruiz Hernández, he inaugurated the Political Dialogue Mechanism, thus confirming the revival of bilateral relations following the visit paid to Italy last January by Panamanian President Mulino, who was received at the Quirinale by President Mattarella.
During the meeting with Deputy Minister Hernández, cooperation in the economic, trade, justice and security (fight against organised crime and corruption), cultural, academic, scientific and technological sectors, and some of the main regional dossiers (status of the Panama Canal, SICA prospects, regional crises) were discussed, thus reaffirming the common commitment to relaunch EU-Latin America and Caribbean relations, also in view of the 4th EU-CELAC Summit in Bogotá next autumn. Undersecretary Silli also called for Panama’s high-level participation in the 12th Italy-Latin America and Caribbean Conference, scheduled to be held in Rome next autumn. During the mission, the Undersecretary also visited the segment of the Panama Canal expanded by the Italian company WeBuild (Cocoli Locks).
Undersecretary Silli said: “At the end of my mission, I can reaffirm the common will of Italy and Panama to continue to collaborate in an ongoing and structured manner, in view of further strengthening economic-commercial relations and expand cooperation in the fight against transnational organised crime and corruption, as well as cultural and academic collaboration, and scientific-technological innovation. There is scope for action: it will be up to our two countries to seize the opportunities that gradually arise.”
