The Panama-David-Frontera train, the new Canal expansion plans, the San Miguelito cable car and the drinking water plan for the whole country are some of the projects that generated the greatest interest in the business round that the President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, held this Tuesday in Paris, France, with more than 24 recognized French companies of multinational impact.
The Panama-David-Frontera train, the new Canal expansion plans, the San Miguelito cable car and the drinking water plan for the whole country are some of the projects that generated the greatest interest in the business round that the President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, held today in Paris, France, with more than 24 recognized French companies of multinational impact.
The forum of French entrepreneurs with President Mulino took place at the headquarters of the French Business Movement (MEDEF), the main business group of this country, headed by Frank Magarian and Pascal Olliver, vice president of the group for Central America and the Caribbean.
The meeting was attended by the aviation giant Airbus Defence & Space, the tire producer Michellin, the cable car system developer MND, the Société Générale bank; NGE, a construction leader, and the railway developer CIM.
Representatives of Moet Hennessy, a distributor of premium champagne; Meteo France International, a leading supplier of meteorological solutions, among other French companies such as Systra, Selp and OCEA, also participated.
Magarian said at the meeting that historically Panama is very attractive for the investments of French companies. He even announced that MEDEF has already planned a new business tour in Panama for February 2025.
Given this, President Mulino made an exhibition of the major projects that are currently being developed in Panama, and highlighted his main campaign promise: the Panama-David train, which has extended to the border with Costa Rica, with the aim of becoming a logistics platform for Costa Rican exports. The construction of this work will take between 4 to 5 years.
“I have to lead a pro-private government,” said Mulino, giving full confidence to this group of companies that seek to expand their businesses in Panama.
Mulino indicated that the construction of the new megaport of Corozal, at the entrance to the Canal, would also be relaunched, with a view to recovering Panama’s port leadership on the Pacific side.
In addition, he highlighted that the Panama Canal Authority begins to develop three major works: a gas pipeline, a port courtyard for the movement of Chinese cars and the channeling of the Indian River, to provide greater capacity to the lakes that supply the operation of this interoceanic route. This last project, which will take four years in its construction phase.
The Panamanian president also reported that his government would be evaluating structuring an airport concession that includes the air terminals of Colón, David and Río Hato.
French businessmen were interested in the opportunities offered by the special zone of Panama Pacific for the establishment of regional headquarters for multinationals, in addition to the facilities offered by the Colón Free Zone.
They expressed that Panama represents a safe and advantageous country for their investments, and that many of them already develop their operations in the canal country.
The MND company even said that it will participate in the cable car project between San Miguelito and Panama City, since it has a new technology that allows the movement capacity of people to be doubled through larger cabins.
Likewise, Michellin’s representatives said they will take their new bearing proposal for metro trains to other countries, which allows silent transport.