Lima, August 21, 2007.- The First Vice-President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama, Samuel Lewis Navarro, today expressed his government’s interest in rapidly establishing closer relations with the Andean Community and proposed creating a political dialogue and cooperation mechanism with the Andean bloc as a first step toward a future association with the CAN. 

Samuel Lewis Navarro, accompanied by Panama’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Alejandro Ferrer, and a group of advisers and government officials, visited the CAN General Secretariat, where he was received by the Secretary General, Freddy Ehlers who, in turn, underscored the importance of deepening relations between the Andean countries and Panama, with a view to that country’s incorporation into the Andean Community. 

After emphasizing his solidarity with the Peruvian people and particularly the earthquake victims, the First Vice-President gave an account of Panama’s present situation and prospects and the efforts being made by President Martín Torrijos’ government to bring the national development strategy into line with the regional and global opportunities that are opening up for his country, as well as with the enlargement of the Panama Canal. 

The application of this strategy has had important results, he explained, like growth of 8.1% in 2006 and sustained average growth of 7.5% and on this basis Panama is attacking one its most serious problems, that of its inequality.   

He went on to state that Panama is becoming actively involved in the global economy through its logistics platform and by signing trade agreements.  It is in this context that approaches to the CAN have been started with the hope that they will result in the signing of a trade agreement with the entire Andean bloc.