The Panamanian Association of Business Executives (APEDE) has declared unemployment, labor informality, and corruption the nation’s most pressing issues heading into 2026. APEDE President Giulia De Sanctis delivered the stark assessment in her year-end review, framing 2025 as a period of intense social tension and complex decisions for Panama.
De Sanctis described the past year as feeling like a condensed decade. She argued the country accumulated conflicts, social fractures, and hard lessons within a few short months, a situation she warned must not become normalized.
“If something 2025 leaves us with is a shared feeling, we did not live a year, we lived a condensed decade,” De Sanctis said. [Translated from Spanish]
Economic Growth Fails to Generate Formal Jobs
Panama’s economy is projected to close 2025 with growth nearing 4 to 4.5 percent. Key drivers include the Panama Canal, logistics, tourism, commerce, and the financial sector. This growth has not translated into widespread job creation or improved public services, however. De Sanctis emphasized the recovery’s uneven nature, noting setbacks in agriculture and certain industrial sectors.
Provinces like Bocas del Toro experienced severe impacts on employment and exports. The business leader insisted economic statistics remain meaningless if citizens do not perceive tangible benefits in their daily lives.
“Growth is not enough if it is not felt in everyday life. If the citizen does not perceive formal employment, real opportunities, and public services that function, the growth stays in the statistics,” De Sanctis stated. [Translated from Spanish]
Addressing the dual crisis of unemployment and informality represents the most urgent decision for the coming year, she said. This challenge directly impacts Panamanian families.
Informal Economy Called a Structural Problem
De Sanctis framed labor informality as a concrete, structural problem rather than an abstract economic concept. She described it as entrepreneurs trapped in endless bureaucracy and independent workers operating outside the formal system due to its complexity and cost.
The state must simplify, digitize, and provide support to ease formalization, she argued. Effective oversight is also required to expand legitimate job opportunities. The nation’s large informal economy continues to limit tax revenue and worker protections.
“Informality is not an economic abstraction. It is the entrepreneur trapped in endless procedures, the independent worker who does not invoice because no one requires it, the citizen who does not register with social security because the system is complex, costly, or unfriendly,” De Sanctis explained. [Translated from Spanish]
Her second major challenge involves restoring public trust through a direct fight against corruption. Clear rules and measurable results are needed, not just speeches.
Anti-Corruption Legislation and Strategic Projects
De Sanctis identified Bill 291, the General Anti-Corruption Law, as a critical opportunity to strengthen institutions. Failing to debate and approve it would send a dangerous message that impunity still has space, she warned. Normalizing impunity weakens the state, increases financing costs, and compromises national development.
The APEDE president also addressed the need for transparent execution of strategic projects. She cited the economic and labor impact of the mine closure, particularly in Coclé province. Any discussion about its reopening must be based on comprehensive audits and social responsibility, she cautioned.
In contrast, she highlighted the Río Indio project as a positive example of national planning. It guarantees water for the Canal and the population while respecting community rights. De Sanctis pointed to the recently agreed-upon minimum wage as proof that constructive dialogue remains possible in Panama.
“When employers, workers, and the State sit down to negotiate with responsibility, Panama wins,” De Sanctis affirmed. [Translated from Spanish]
The country must now move from conflict to agreement, she concluded. The path forward requires shifting from distrust to construction and from informality to opportunity. Real progress must be felt in workplaces, streets, and homes across the nation.