The presidents of Panama and Colombia have signed agreements to increase security along their porous border, which is used by migrants and drug traffickers.
President Juan Carlos Varela of Panama met with Colombia’s Juan Manuel Santos in the jungle-clad southern province of Darien Tuesday.
The two presidents said the flow of migrants has tapered off since thousands of Cubans, Haitians and others streamed north earlier in the year.
Santos said “not long ago, this border was a no-man’s land.”
Official figures estimate about 15,000 migrants entered Panama through Colombia so far this year. Traffickers also seek to ship drugs across the border.
The two countries agreed to establish two more joint security bases on the border, in addition to the two already operating.
Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos speaks during a press conference after a meeting with his Panamanian counterpart Juan Carlos Varela at the Nicanor Air Naval base in Darien province, Panama, Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016. Santos and Varela discussed security and immigration issues between both countries. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco)
Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos, left, and his Panamanian counterpart Juan Carlos Varela talk during a press conference, after a meeting at the Nicanor Air Naval base in Darien province, Panama, Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016. Santos and Varela discussed security and immigration issues between both countries. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco)
Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos, left, gives a toy ship to Panama’s President Juan Carlos Varela during a press conference, after a meeting at the Nicanor Air Naval base in Darien province, Panama, Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016. Santos and Varela discussed security and immigration issues between both countries. The toy is a scale model replica of a ship that Colombia is building for Panama. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco)