Qatari Businessmen have demonstrated to the Panamanian government their interest in building a refinery in Puerto Armuelles.  This has been an ongoing situation since it first surfaced in 2007.  Maybe this will become a reality one day.  It would definitely put Puerto on the map big time and this is an area that  really needs a boost since the banana plantation days faded with Chiquita’s departure.

Panama‘s ambassador to Qatar, Javier Arias, confirmed that investors in that country have shown interest in building a refinery in the Central American nation.

“It’s the first time Panama has looked to the Middle East as an investment partner. Arab culture is very slow. With us it was a different matter. We opened the embassy for the first time and in less than a year they did the same in our country, “Arias said.

“Qatar needs a country like Panama, which has an important geographical location, which can give it international prestige, seeing as we are international players in logistics and have a great deal of capital investment.”

Source: Estrategia & Negocios