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local Monday 28 noveMber 2022

Eric Dormoi:

“We see the Caribbean as a good opportunity for Panamanian products”

ORANJESTAD – Eric Dormio, thus we need to promote
national director of export ourselves in the region, with
promotion for the Ministry friendly ties as well as com-
of Commerce and Industry mercial to help us with tour-
of the Republic of Panama ism, exports or exchange in
was in Aruba last week, to- the free zone.”
gether with his team and
some Panamanian busi- They chose Aruba because
ness owners, in order to they consider it as a natural
promote their countries ex- market for Panama, as well
ports for Aruba. as for the tourism sector, in
which Aruba’s main mar-
Among the products that ket is the United States and
they showcased are sea Panama. Dormoi said that
products, agricultural, in- there are products that
dustrial, and agroindustrial they can offer as another
products. “We are always option as providers. During the event, differ- an event together with can also offer all this to the
searching for opportunities, ent Panamanian com- these export companies. country’s development.”
and we see that the Carib- Last week took place the panies were present with “This is a great opportunity
bean is a good opportunity event Trade Mission Pana- the goal of exploring new because the buyers know Aside from the eleven
for Panamanian products”, ma to Aruba at the Renais- markets, organized in dif- already which companies companies, others also
Dormoi pointed out. sance Convention Center. ferent groups. In the food are coming, what products came, those that import
As part of an action plan of products group some com- they offer and who is going fruit for Europe, the United
He said that they are very the Panamanian Govern- panies produced flour, bot- to be available for speak- States. They also import
competitive with their con- ment, they implemented tled water, sea products, ing. We see this mission fa- wood, meat and other op-
struction materials, as well integral programs to iden- watermelon and pumpkin. vorably”, Dormoi said. tions, according to Dormoi,
as food products – due to tify and take advantage of There was another group which can be very interest-
the crisis related to the Co- opportunities in the region. with companies offering He added that they had a ing to export.
vid-19 pandemic as well Panama as a logistic hub construction materials, similar mission in Curaçao
as the war in Ukraine, the has the capacity to offer soaps and cleaning prod- in the month of March. He Regarding prices, Dormoi
world has seen shortages. products to their Caribbe- ucts, candles, refrigeration said that was “very suc- said that they are advan-
“We need to fortify our- an and Central American and industrial paint (road- cessful, we had 200 meet- tageous. The local buyer
selves in the region in or- neighbors under demand- mark). ings with 50 buyers, and we needs to evaluate if it is a
der to minimize the nega- ing standards as well as the This was the first time that think we can do the same good idea for Aruba to
tive impact, because big option to approach their they came to Aruba on in Aruba since they are bring a product for which
countries for example in potential clients. such a mission, and it was very close and a lot of dis- there is interest. Dormoi
Asia protect themselves, also the first time they had tributors operate on both said that in his experience,
islands. We trust that the some buyers in Curaçao
mission in Aruba will be very prefer to buy the Pana-
successful”, he pointed out. manian product instead of
a European product due
However, Dormoi said that to the shorter distances
they need to follow up on which makes the shipping
conversations with Aruban more affordable. Another
minister of Economic Af- advantage they have is
fairs, Mr. Geoffrey Wever. that they can personalize
He mentioned that Aruba products “designed as per
does have the need for the customer’s requests.
new options for supply, and All this needs to be negoti-
they are seeing Panama ated, but regarding prices,
positively in this regard. from Panama to Aruba
“In Panama we have a lot shipping is more affordable
of experience regarding and there is very good
construction. We are con- maritime shipping. All these
structing Line 3 of the train, are things that need to be
we have experience ex- evaluated. I think prices will
panding our Panama Ca- be very competitive and
nal, we build bridges and Panama is a good option”,
piers, tall buildings, and we he said.q