President José Raúl Mulino used Panama’s appearance at the United Nations General Assembly to defend the country’s role in international commerce, promote major Panama Canal investments and call for diplomatic solutions to global conflicts.
Addressing the General Assembly in New York on September 23, Mulino argued that the UN needs to produce more tangible results and make greater use of preventive diplomacy. He reaffirmed Panama’s support for multilateral institutions while criticizing their response to uncontrolled migration through the Darién Gap.
The president said the war between Russia and Ukraine should end through formal diplomacy and negotiations. He also called for lasting peace in the Middle East and criticized the international response to instability around the Strait of Hormuz, saying disruption there increases global food, fertilizer and fuel costs.
Mulino presented the Panama Canal as a neutral route serving international trade but warned that climate conditions are again affecting the waterway. He called for international support for responsible infrastructure and announced that Panama would promote international recognition of what he called the Universal Rights of Nature.
Panama’s term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council ends in December. Mulino called for Latin America and the Caribbean to receive greater decision-making power within the council.
Outside the formal address, the government used the New York visit to promote an estimated $8.5 billion portfolio of Canal-related projects, including two new ports, a logistics corridor and the Río Indio reservoir.
Mulino also met executives from Blackstone and SSA Marine. The presidency said the companies expressed interest in maritime and Canal projects, but no investment commitment was announced.
Other meetings covered Panama’s fiscal relationship with the European Union, cooperation with Spain and Guyana’s possible accession to the Canal’s Neutrality Treaty. The World Economic Forum also confirmed that Panama will host a strategy meeting with international logistics and energy executives in late October.
Sources: Presidencia, La Prensa
