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local Friday 25 November 2022

Trade mission to fortify commercial links between Aruba and Panama

ORANJESTAD – Panama- to promote and deepen
nian Ministry of Commerce ties for mutual benefit.
and Industry, through its
vice-ministry of Foreign Aruba’s economy is re-
Commerce, invited local covering after losing ap-
media to the Trade Mission proximately 22.5 percent of
Panama to Aruba event, economic activity due to
which had the goal of forti- the impact of the Covid-19
fying commercial links be- pandemic. According to
tween Panama and Aruba. forecasts of the Depart-
ment of Economic Affairs of
Members of the commer- Aruba, the local economy
cial mission, together with will grow with 10 percent
national director for pro- through 2022 and for 2023
motion of export of the Re- the projection of economic
public of Panama, Eric Dor- growth is 4.5 percent nomi-
moi; representative of the nal. The recovery of the
Chamber of Commerce of tourism sector and private
Aruba, Sue-Ellen de Freitas; investments push eco-
and minister of Economic nomic growth which also
Affairs, Communication represents interest areas for
and Sustainable Develop- companies.
ment of Aruba, Geoffrey
Wever, on Wednesday Projections from the Inter-
morning inaugurated the national Monetary Fund
first edition of the Trade Mis- (IMF) also give indication
sion Panama to Aruba at of the economic recovery
the Renaissance Conven- of Aruba, where the pan-
tion Center. demic showed the value
and importance of explor-
As part of an action plan ing other streams for eco-
of the government of the mercial sector is a part of are times when we have to Dormoi commented. nomic progress, and to
Republic of Panama, they their vision for economic fortify our ties, friendly rela- not depend only on tour-
implemented integral pro- development that the tions, of commercial con- Minister Geoffrey Wever ism, Wever indicated. “We
grams to identify and take region requires, with the nectivity”, he said. gave a short speech during must create opportunities
advantage of opportuni- hope of fortifying commer- the inauguration, pointing for companies to grow,
ties in the region, Panama cial ties. He added that Panama is out that it was a special, im- not only in the local market
as a logistic hub has the ready to offer Aruba dif- portant and unique event but also in the international
capacity to offer goods Dormoi explained that the ferent products of export offering the opportunity to market. In this regard, re-
and products of high stan- connectivity between Aru- companies. “This is interest- fortify business ties. Wever cently we modernized the
dards to their Caribbean ba and Panama is currently ing because people can said he trusts that this will merchant permit policy,
and Central American very important, at a time ask if Panama has ice ma- push for economic relations and now it is easier and
neighbors as an option to when the war in Ukraine chines, for example, and between both countries. is completely digitalized.
approach potential clients. presents great challenges the answer is yes. This is why In the current times with dif- Currently we are updating
For this reason they came as well as the recent Co- we want Aruba to see us ferent political, economic the free zone lays to facili-
to Aruba, where the com- vid-19 pandemic. “These as an option for providers”, and commercial panora- tate that type of business”,
ma in the Latin American Wever said.
and Caribbean region,
where commerce, infla- The geographic positions of
tion and economic coop- both Panama and Aruba
eration remain central ele- are yet another reason to
ments of strategic partner- further fortify the commer-
ships, Wever expressed that cial and economic ties, ac-
he wants to find some ways cording to Wever. q