On a visit to Panama, Abenader, with Cortizo and Alvarado, will address the increasing regional migration flows

The President of Panama, Laurentino Cortizo, will receive, Wednesday, his colleagues from Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado, and from the Dominican Republic, Luis Abenadir, to search for “concrete and sustainable” solutions to the crisis in Haiti and the increasing influx of illegal immigrants. .

This was stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama, Erika Moines, on Tuesday, as she received colleagues from Costa Rica, Rodolfo Solano, and from the Dominican Republic, Roberto Alvarez, to prepare for the presidential appointment, drafted in the Alliance for the Promotion of Democracy. The three countries formalized the institutions last September, in the framework of the United Nations General Assembly.

“I welcome the foreign ministers (…) to form a working group of this important political triangle that will allow us to review issues of common interest at the regional level and to propose concrete, comprehensive and sustainable solutions to confront the crisis that Haiti is experiencing. According to a statement issued by the State Department, Moines said, ” passage through … in addition to the increasing influx of illegal immigrants.”

On September 22, in the framework of the alliance, the three presidents issued a joint statement expressing their deep concern about the “crisis that Haiti is going through and its increasing impact on the region, in particular the severe consequences of migration”, and called on the international community to find solutions for that country.

Panama is the gateway to Central America from the south of the continent, and this year at least 107,000 mobile migrants – an unprecedented number – crossed the country on their journey to North America, according to official Panamanian data.

Most of the immigrants are from Haitian families, many from Chile and Brazil, where they settled years ago, who crossed into several countries in South America and the Dangerous Forest of Darien, the natural border between Panama and Colombia.

The number of immigrants arriving in Panama on their way to the United States, Canada or Mexico is expected to reach about 150,000 by the end of 2021, Panamanian Public Security Minister Juan Pino said last Thursday.

Presidential meeting

Alvarado and Abinader will arrive in the Panamanian capital on Wednesday morning and will hold a special meeting with Cortizo and then an expanded one with the delegations accompanying them consisting of foreign ministers, trade ministers and ambassadors, according to a specific official letter.

The meetings are held at the Presidential Palace of Las Garzas, located in the old town of the capital and in front of the Gulf of Panama, after which Cortizo will serve lunch and an official photo on the stairs of the government headquarters, which will put an end to the tripartite meeting, according to official information.

This appointment comes on the heels of the “Alliance for the Strengthening of Democratic Institutions” signed by the three presidents within the framework of the United Nations General Assembly last September, which aims to “address areas of common interest and foreign policy priorities in Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Panama.”

“The purpose of the leaders is to promote economic growth by re-launching trade, demographic and cultural links between the countries of the region, based on the defense of open societies, international law and a green development model, equitable, sustainable and inclusive. The Presidency of Panama said today, Tuesday, “according to the document in which it was formed in September 22.

The statement issued by the presidency added that the three heads of state “will discuss sustainable development, environment, trade, migration, security and measures to address the crisis caused by COVID-19.”