The Panama-David-Frontera train, the new Canal expansion plans, the San Miguelito cable car and the drinking water plan for the entire country are some of the projects that generated the greatest interest in the business round held this Tuesday in Paris , France, the President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, with more than 24 recognized French companies with multinational impact.
The French business forum with President Mulino took place at the headquarters of the French Business Movement (MEDEF), the main business group in this country, headed by Frank Magarian and Pascal Olliver, vice president of the group for America Central and the Caribbean.
The aviation giant Airbus Defense & Space, the tire producer Michellin, the cable car system developer MND, the bank Société Générale participated in the meeting; Construction leader NGE and railway developer CIM.
Also participating were representatives from Moet Hennessy, a premium champagne distributor; Meteo France International, leading supplier of meteorological solutions, among other French companies such as Systra, Selp and OCEA.
Magarian stated at the meeting that historically Panama is very attractive for investments by French companies. He even announced that MEDEF has already planned a new business tour in Panama for February 2025.
Given this, President Mulino made a presentation of the great projects that are currently being developed in Panama, and highlighted his main campaign promise: the Panama-David train, which has been extended to the border with Costa Rica, with the objective to become 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 company government,” said Mulino, giving full confidence to this group of companies seeking to expand their businesses in Panama.
Mulino indicated that the construction of the new Corozal megaport, 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 yard for the movement of Chinese cars and the canalization of the Indio River, to provide greater capacity to the lakes that supply the operation of this interoceanic route. This latest project, which will take four years in its construction phase.
The Panamanian president also reported that his government is evaluating granting a concession to the Tocumen International Airport, the country’s main air terminal. But this concession would be in conjunction with the airports of Colón, Río Hato and the city of David, in Chiriquí.
French businessmen were interested in the opportunities offered by the special zone of Panama Pacifico 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.
Even the company MND stated that it will participate in the cable car project between San Miguelito and Panama City, since it has a new technology that allows doubling the capacity of movement of people through larger cabins.
Likewise, Michellin representatives said that they will take their new bearing proposal for metro trains to other countries, which allows silent transportation.
