Embassy News 2006
Embassy News 2005
Embassy News 2004
2007
（September 3rd, 2007） Panama Canal Expansion Breaks Ground
Thousands join Panamanian President, world leaders in the beginning of the historic expansion of the Panama Canal
The crowd, totaling an estimated 30,000, included world leaders in business and government participated in a ceremony and groundbreaking to celebrate the beginning of the first-ever expansion of the nearly 100-year-old waterway. Government officials from around the world attended the beginning of the historical expansion of the Panama Canal, including former U.S. President Jimmy Carter.
The expansion aims at building a new lane of traffic along the Panama Canal through the construction of a new set of locks, which will double capacity and allow more traffic and longer, wider ships. Today's event inaugurates the first construction project of expansion: a dry excavation project on Paraiso Hill that begins the construction of the new Pacific Locks access channel. The new Pacific Locks access channel will ultimately connect the Gaillard Cut to the new Pacific Locks.
In a national referendum October 22, 2006, Panamanians voted to expand the Canal, a momentous step that will ultimately secure their future and that of world trade. Expansion will double Canal capacity to more than 600 million Panama Canal tons, tighten the global supply chain and help get goods to market faster. The expansion works are expected to be completed on 2014, when the Canal celebrates its Centenary of Construction.
For further information, see Panama Canal Authority site
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Panama Canal Expansion Breaks Ground |
From left to right, H.E. Martin Torrijos Espino, President of the Republic of Panama, and H.E. Jimmy Carter, former President of the United States |
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(August 30th, 2007) Saladino won gold medal in Long Jump: 8.57 meters!
Irving Saladino (24) won gold medal in men's long jump at the 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics at Osaka, Japan. Saladino jumped personal best 8.57 meters in his last leap, claiming the first gold medal for Panama with a dramatic victory. Saladino extends his winning streak to 16 competitions, and he has won 23 out of 25 competitions since 2005.
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(June 26th, 2007) Panama selected for FAO regional branch
Panama was recently chosen to become the headquarters of the sub-regional office of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The decision was made during the 132nd Session of FAO held in Rome, Italy from June 18th to 22nd, 2007. The sub-regional office will be established in the City of Knowledge in the Clayton area, Panama City, and it is expected to start operations by the end of this year.
The main purposes of the said office are the development of the Agency’s annual objectives, the coordination of technical support to several countries, as well as the execution and monitoring of projects. Likewise, the sub-regional office will provide technical support upon multiple FAO modalities, research support and development of training activities.
FAO aims to maintain its presence in the region, and to work on the objectives and priorities of the agency, which includes food safety, fight against starvation, the increase of productivity and defense of the agricultural sector.
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(June 27th, 2007) Panama and Japan signed an agreement for the financing of the Cleaning of the Panama City and Panama Bay
The Republic of Panama and the Government of the Japan signed an Agreement, whereby Japan extends a loan facility in yen to finance the second phase of the first stage for the cleaning of Panama City and Panama Bay. The total amount of the loan is JPY 19,371 million (approximately, US$ 160 million).
According to the said agreement, the loan will be carried out by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), and will be repaid in a period of 18 years, with 7-year grace period at an annual interest rate of 1.2%.
The agreement was signed by H.E. Samuel Lewis Navarro, First Vice President and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Panama, and H.E. Shuji Shimokoji, Ambassador of Japan to Panama, in the presence of H.E. Martin Torrijos Espino, President of the Republic of Panama.
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(Jun. 3rd, 2007) UN Secretary-General visited Panama
Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General, visited Panama to attend the opening ceremony of the 37th General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), held at the National Theatre in Panama City. H.E. Ban Ki-moon delivered the opening remarks and pointed out the important role that Panama has been playing to serve as a conciliatory bridge in the Americas and the world. Moreover, H.E. Ban Ki-moon praised the vision and commitment of the Panamanian government towards the United Nations to join efforts in the struggle against hunger and extreme poverty.
Furthermore, the visiting United Nations Secretary-General expressed that the membership of the Republic of Panama at the U.N. Security Council shows the confidence of the region in Panama and also reflects its mediating capacity.
H.E. Ban Ki-moon also attended the inauguration ceremony of the regional center of the United Nations for Latin America and the Caribbean. The regional center is located in the City of Knowledge, a former U.S. military base, in front of the Miraflores Locks of the Panama Canal.
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(May 29th, 2007) Panamanian Specialty Coffee set a world record in international coffee auctions
Hacienda La Esmeralda’s Geisha coffee marked again a world record setting price in international coffee auctions, by obtaining US$ 130 a pound, compared to last year record of US$ 50.25, during an international online auction held on May 29th, where a total of 25 premium quality lots previously selected at the Best of Panama 2007, the most important coffee event in Panama organized by the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama, were sold.
See Results of the International Online Coffee Auction 2007
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