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In the News from Panama

Video: Minister of Commerce Talks Panama Growth

Panama Minister of Commerce and Industry Ramon Martinez de la Guardia recently discussed Panama’s growth and the success of “vaccination tourism” on “Bloomberg Daybreak: Asia” from the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore.

The interview gets off to a rocky start with a couple of off-target questions about Panama Canal operations (the Canal is run by the Panama Canal Authority, he reminds her). But it gets more interesting when she asks (1:25) about the new program to encourage people from around the region to travel to Panama to get vaccinated for COVID-19.

The response to the program has been “fantastic,” helping to drive traffic to hotels and restaurants. The program is “one of the actions helping the economy to recover,” he says. Panama’s economy grew by 10 percent in the first half of the year and will likely be up 12 percent by the end of the year, he says.

The minister also talked about Panama’s plans to host the first Bloomberg New Economy Gateway series event in 2022. Panama will host leaders from around the globe to discuss a variety of timely issues, including supply chain, climate action, and sustainable investments.

Watch the full video:

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