The Minister of the Presidency of Panama, Juan Carlos Orillac, was the main speaker at the forum "Analyzing the environment for the development of sustainable Public-Private Partnerships in Panama: How to perfect the national framework to drive more and better PPP projects?", organized by the Inter-American Development Bank (BID).
On behalf of President José Raúl Mulino, Minister Orillac congratulated the organizers and assured that the event's objectives are fully aligned with the National Government's agenda: promoting private initiative, generating jobs, and improving the population's standard of living. "Panama is a creative and hardworking people. We work to be a world example, combining economic growth with justice and well-being," expressed Orillac.
The Minister also highlighted that the Mulino administration is up to the great challenges, and emphasized that the country enjoys an "open, solid, and inclusive economy," which positions it before the world as a prosperous, peaceful, and interconnected nation.
Ana Julia Carreira, National Secretary of Public-Private Partnerships of the Ministry of the Presidency, stressed the need to prioritize projects that are financially sustainable over time. Carreira pointed out that the administration is actively working on the dynamization of said regulatory framework, incorporating international best practices and including initiatives that continue to diversify the portfolio of Public-Private Partnership projects.
Gloria Lugo, BID representative in Panama, reaffirmed the institution's support for this model, recognizing that PPPs are a key tool to close infrastructure gaps, improve the quality of public services, generate employment, and attract quality private investment.
The event was attended by the Minister of Public Works, José Luis Andrade; the Secretary of Metas, José Ramón Icaza; and the Deputy Ministers of Social Development, Roberto Arosemena Cervantes; and of Economy, Eida Sáiz; as well as various business leaders. The forum, driven by the Secretariat of Metas, was designed as a high-level dialogue space between the public and private sectors to optimize the country's institutional and regulatory framework for Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). The event seeks to generate conclusions that allow for the elaboration of a roadmap focused on strengthening the preparation, financing, and evaluation of future PPP projects in Panama.
