During the official visit of Brazil's president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, to participate in the 2026 International Economic Forum for Latin America and the Caribbean, the governments of Panama and Brazil reaffirmed their strategic alliance to strengthen vaccine manufacturing and technological innovation. This alliance aims to deepen public health research and consolidate the Panamanian center, located in the City of Knowledge, as a benchmark for innovation in Central America and the Caribbean. Presidents José Raúl Mulino and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva tasked the National Secretariat for Science, Technology, and Innovation (Senacyt) and Fiocruz with conducting a joint analysis on the feasibility of establishing in Panama specialized infrastructure for advanced stages of vaccine manufacturing. According to Burger, this initiative not only focuses on the development of biologicals but also on a comprehensive vision to strengthen public health in the region. The backing from the leaders positions the CRIVB AIP as a scientific platform with high potential for technology transfer. The consolidation of this center will allow Panama to integrate into regional biotechnology value chains, attracting specialized investment and fostering the development of professional talent. In addition to improving the response to health emergencies, the project also seeks to make the country a logistics and scientific hub for the production and distribution of critical medical supplies for mutual health security. A fundamental milestone in this relationship is the agreement signed in September 2025 between Panama's Regional Center for Vaccine and Biopharmaceutical Research (CRIVB AIP) and Brazil's Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz). This project also contemplates the exchange of technical advice and experiences in biotechnological development platforms. Both leaders highlighted the strength of bilateral relations and announced significant advances in scientific cooperation aimed at regional health security.
