Notícias
Minister Antonio de Aguiar Patriota visits Panama – Panama City, 13 June 2011
On June 13, 2011 Minister Antonio de Aguiar Patriota will visit Panama, where he will meet with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Vice-President Juan Carlos Varela Rodriguez and will be received by President Ricardo Martinelli. It will be the first visit of Minister Patriota to a Central American country.
Because of its geographical location and comparative advantages – with emphasis on maritime transport, port logistics, aviation and airport management, financial services and trade – a partnership between Brazil and Panama offers great potential. The number of 50 weekly flights between the two countries demonstrates the opportunities in the bilateral relation.
Panama was chosen as the headquarters of Embrapa Americas. The office aims to support initiatives oriented to food security and food production to generate energy. There are opportunities for cooperation on biofuels. Panama has recently adopted new legislation providing for mandatory percentage of blending ethanol with gasoline. Eletrobrás has equally announced the opening of an office in Panama, in order to support its growing operations in Central America.
Panama is the second largest trade partner of Brazil in Central America and currently experiences a significant economic boom, propelled by public works, which creates trade and investment opportunities for Brazilian companies. In 2010 bilateral trade totaled US$ 382 million, with a US$ 325 million surplus in favor of Brazil.