The Panamanian government held meetings with FONPLATA to finance social and infrastructure projects during the CAF forum
More than 20 multinational companies—including giants such as Pfizer, Google, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, AES Corporation, Siemens, and Cisco Systems—reiterated their interest in expanding and making new investments in Panama, within the framework of the 2026 International Economic Forum for Latin America and the Caribbean, organized this week by CAF—the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean—in Panama City.
The announcement came during a meeting between President José Raúl Mulino and senior executives from these companies, members of the Council of the Americas (AS/COA), a New York–based business organization that promotes economic development, market openness, and institutional strengthening in the Western Hemisphere.
At the meeting, the president emphasized that his administration has succeeded in creating a stable investment climate after putting public finances in order and strengthening fiscal discipline.
According to Mulino, this process has helped restore the confidence of international investors and laid more solid foundations for economic growth, creating favorable conditions for new investments in Panama.
“The country has begun to move forward on the right path, with order,” the president said, referring to the reforms promoted in administrative, financial, and transparency matters.
During the meeting, Mulino shared his government’s vision focused on efficient public spending, reducing the size of the state, and strengthening institutions.
He also expressed optimism about the impact of the public investment plan to be executed this year, aimed primarily at road infrastructure, health, and access to basic services such as drinking water.
Among the topics discussed were the stabilization of the pension system of the Social Security Fund (Caja de Seguro Social), the strengthening of the logistics and connectivity platform, and a commitment to educational reform to improve labor competitiveness and guarantee greater employment opportunities.
The president also highlighted investments promoted by the Panama Canal Authority in projects such as new ports, a gas pipeline, and a reservoir, designed to improve the operational efficiency of the interoceanic waterway and reinforce the country’s role as a regional logistics hub.
In the technology sphere, Mulino underscored that Panama seeks to position itself as an innovation hub by incorporating the use of digital tools, artificial intelligence, and developments linked to semiconductors into its training and productive development strategy, as part of a broader effort to attract new investments in Panama.
Representatives from companies such as Coca-Cola, Cisco Systems, Google, PepsiCo, Pfizer, Salesforce, Siemens Energy, The AES Corporation, InterEnergy, the International Air Transport Association, Grupo Cox Energy, Enfragen, and Macquarie Capital, among others, attended the meeting.
Business leaders thanked the government for the space for dialogue and praised the organization of the regional forum, noting that Panama is consolidating itself as a meeting point for economic and business discussion in Latin America.
Panama closed 2025 with a total of 188 companies established under the Multinational Headquarters (SEM) regime, consolidating its position as one of the region’s main corporate hubs for managing regional and global operations.
In addition, two companies are registered under the Multinational Manufacturing Companies (EMMA) regime, aimed at value-added productive activities.
The SEM regime is designed to attract headquarters, shared services centers, and administrative, financial, and logistics hubs of multinational companies through tax, immigration, and labor incentives.
These companies centralize functions from Panama, such as regional planning, technological support, treasury, procurement, marketing, and talent management, for their operations in Latin America and other markets.
For its part, the EMMA regime seeks to promote the installation of advanced manufacturing plants and specialized industrial processes, allowing multinationals to produce, assemble, or transform goods in Panamanian territory for export.
Both schemes are part of the country’s strategy to diversify its economy, generate skilled employment, and strengthen its position as a services and production platform in the region.
If the new investments materialize, the country could attract more foreign capital at a time when foreign direct investment (FDI) remains far below the best levels recorded before the pandemic. Currently, the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica rank among the main recipients of FDI in the region, while Panama has fallen to fourth place, far from the top position it held years ago.
Meeting with FONPLATA
In parallel with the dialogue with the business sector, Mulino held a meeting with executives from FONPLATA – Development Bank, who expressed their interest in financing social and infrastructure projects in Panama.
The delegation was led by the institution’s Executive President, Luciana Botafogo, accompanied by the Vice President of Strategic Development, Viviana González; the Head of the Strategic Alliances Division, Leonardo Chagas; and advisor Carlos Melo.
FONPLATA is a multilateral financial institution made up of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, whose mandate is to finance medium- and small-scale projects aimed at promoting development, physical integration, and the reduction of inequality in the region.
During the meeting, Botafogo explained that the bank can support social works such as production roads, bridges, health centers, schools, and housing for low-income families, especially in areas with historical infrastructure deficits.
Mulino noted that one of his government’s priorities is addressing the needs of Indigenous regions, where significant gaps persist in basic services, connectivity, and access to critical infrastructure.
He also emphasized that the state has an outstanding debt in terms of sustained access to drinking water, which is why projects such as the Río Indio Multipurpose Reservoir are being promoted under the coordination of the Panama Canal Administration.
He indicated that these initiatives can be complemented by works developed through the National Council for Sustainable Development (Conades), which will also require external financing.
Regional Context
Both meetings took place in the context of the 2026 International Economic Forum for Latin America and the Caribbean, organized by CAF, which brought together heads of state, ministers, business leaders, and representatives of multilateral organizations in Panama.
The event served as a platform to promote investment and to debate regional integration, development financing, energy transition, technological innovation, and institutional strengthening.