Ms. Lhuana López Amorim, Charge d’affaires, a.i. of the Embassy of the Republic of Panama in the Philippines, addresses questions during the Open Forum.

Continuously improving the quality of life and going beyond maritime cooperation – these were two of the main themes discussed during the Foreign Service Institute’s (FSI’s) Mabini Dialogue on “Panama and the United Nations” held on 28 July 2022.

FSI, in partnership with the Embassy of the Republic of Panama in the Philippines, organized the Dialogue to showcase the documentary “Panama and the United Nations: 75 Years of Contributions to the World.” The film chronicles Panama’s work with the United Nations, highlighting the country’s contributions to the attainment of UN strategic goals, and its involvement in addressing issues on a global scale.

The documentary showing was followed by an open forum with Ms. Lhuana López Amorim, Charge d’affaires, a.i. of the Embassy of Panama. On the question of Panama’s continued efforts in the promotion and protection of human rights, Ms. López stated that while Panama has come a long way in this regard, the country still faces challenges, particularly political and cultural issues. Addressing these challenges requires constant dialogue and continuous work with different sectors and relevant stakeholders.

Another question raised during the forum was on the dynamics of Philippines-Panama relations. While the significant number of Filipino seafarers aboard Panamanian vessels has made maritime cooperation the focus of the relationship between the two, Ms. López believes that there are multiple opportunities for cooperation beyond maritime security. Among the potential areas of cooperation she identified include disaster relief and addressing the impacts of climate change. She also specified education as a priority sector, sharing that there have been efforts between both countries to encourage academic exchange and collaboration.  

Ms. López concluded the forum by expressing optimism on the future of Philippines-Panama bilateral relations, welcoming further opportunities for increased dialogue and deeper engagement between the two countries.

The event was attended by representatives from the Embassy of Panama in the Philippines, and officers and staff of the DFA and FSI.

Ms. Lhuana López Amorim receives a Certificate of Appreciation from Mr. Edwin Estrada, Head of FSI’s Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies (CIRSS).