Panama’s Minister of Commerce and Industries, Julio Moltó, met with South African officials this week to deepen economic ties. The high-level discussions in South Africa focused on increasing Panamanian exports and exploring joint ventures in technology and manufacturing.
The meetings, part of Panama Week 2025, aimed to leverage Panama’s strategic geographic position. Officials specifically highlighted the country’s role as a global logistics hub for re-exporting goods between Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa. Both nations identified significant untapped potential in their trade relationship.
Minister Moltó outlined clear opportunities for growth. He pointed to sectors like agribusiness, specialized manufacturing, and technology services as prime candidates for increased Panamanian exports to Southern Africa. The dialogue also covered mechanisms to streamline the flow of goods and share best commercial practices between the two regions.
“Strengthening ties with South Africa is a priority. There is enormous room to grow in trade, investment, and culture, and we want to take full advantage of it,” said Minister Julio Moltó. [Translated from Spanish]
National Semiconductor Strategy Presented
A key component of the talks involved Panama’s ambitious technological plans. Minister Moltó presented South African counterparts with Panama’s national strategy for entering the global semiconductor industry. The plan includes current progress in talent training and building technological capacity.
This move signals Panama’s intent to diversify beyond its traditional service-based economy. By engaging with a major African economy like South Africa, Panama seeks technical cooperation and knowledge exchange in this high-value sector. The strategy forms part of a broader government effort to position Panama as a competitive destination for tech investment.
Parallel meetings reinforced the focus on collaborative economic development. Moltó, alongside Giulia de Sanctis, President of the Panamanian Association of Business Executives (APEDE), met with Elias Monage, President of South Africa’s Black Business Council. Their conversation centered on creating alliances between businesses in both countries.
Public-Private Partnerships as a Development Engine
The dialogue with South African business leaders explored concrete collaboration models. Discussions emphasized projects that could spur entrepreneurial development and innovation through joint efforts. A central theme was the role of structured public-private partnership models to de-risk and accelerate initiatives.
Panama’s delegation included officials from the Foreign Ministry, the tourism promotion agency Promtur Panama, and private sector guilds. They held a series of meetings with key South African public and private sector actors throughout the week. The consistent message was Panama’s commitment to opening new doors for export growth and foreign investment.
This working tour under the Panama Week 2025 banner serves a specific diplomatic purpose. It is a platform designed to strengthen the country’s international profile. The goal is to market Panama as a secure, competitive, and reliable partner for global business. Forging a stronger link with Africa’s most industrialized economy represents a strategic step in that direction.
Immediate next steps will involve follow-up communications between trade agencies. Teams are expected to refine the identified areas of cooperation into actionable memoranda of understanding. The success of this mission will ultimately be measured by increased trade volumes and concrete joint investment announcements in the coming months.