Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held a meeting with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino at the Maximos Mansion.
During the meeting, they discussed international developments and prospects for strengthening and deepening bilateral relations. Particular emphasis was placed on the tourism sector and opportunities to increase tourist traffic between the two countries.
The two countries’ priorities for the UN Security Council for the 2025–2026 term were also discussed, with an emphasis on their shared interest in maritime security and free trade. The Prime Minister reiterated our country’s positions on the need to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
There was also an exchange of views on the decarbonization of shipping. Kyriakos Mitsotakis reiterated the need for a realistic and feasible roadmap to strike a balance between environmental sensitivity and maintaining the competitiveness of shipping. He also emphasized that it is important that the cost of such decisions not ultimately be borne by consumers.
In the presence of the two leaders, the following agreements were signed:
Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Greece and Panama on the establishment of a mechanism for political consultations between the two foreign ministers, George Gerapetritis and Javier E. Martínez-Acha Vazquez.
Memorandum of Understanding between the two governments on cooperation in the field of tourism, signed by the Minister of Tourism, Olga Kefalogianni, and the Director General of the Tourism Authority of the Republic of Panama, Gloria de León Subieta.
At the start of the meeting, the Prime Minister and the President of Panama had the following exchange (unofficial translation from English):
Kyriakos Mitsotakis:“It is my pleasure, Mr. President, to welcome you. I am particularly pleased to see that our bilateral relations are growing ever closer. I am delighted that we have finally opened an embassy in Panama, that we are improving our bilateral trade, and that we are cooperating closely on issues of freedom of navigation and maritime transport safety, which is an area of mutual interest for our two countries. I was particularly pleased by your presence yesterday at the “Posidonia” exhibition, which, as you saw, is the largest exhibition dedicated to the shipping sector. Once again, welcome.”
José Raúl Mulino:“Thank you very much. I greatly appreciate the time you have set aside, given that you have a ‘heavy’ schedule. For me, for the entire delegation accompanying me, and for the government, it is a great opportunity to have you as one of our trusted partners, especially in the initiatives we undertake together.”