SELA reiterates commitment to intra-regional cooperation for more and better integration in the port sector

The Permanent Secretary of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA), Ambassador Clarems Endara, closed this Thursday in Panama the VI Latin American and Caribbean Meeting of Logistic Port Communities, where he reiterated the commitment of the organization to advancing in the integration of the intra-regional port sector.

 “SELA faces the challenge of making progress in economic recovery, and we want to contribute in every step so that we can have tangible results that promote the economic and social development of our countries. We are sure that, through intra-regional cooperation and this mechanism for public-private and academic work, we will generate more and better integration in order to achieve the economic recovery,” Ambassador Endara said.

 The highest authority of SELA expressed his gratitude to the companies BASC Panama and CrimsonLogic for sponsoring the VI Meeting of Port Communities, where the progress and challenges of the sector in the region were presented. He insisted that the same collaborative model used in the meeting is the one that must be put into practice for the Network of Digital Ports to become a reality. “The joint work of international organizations, experts, academics, government authorities and port operators will ensure that this becomes a long-term effort that goes beyond government agendas and turns into a great regional achievement,” he said.

 For her part, Luisa Meza, representative in Panama of CAF-development bank of Latin America, highlighted that the initiative of logistic port communities is of great relevance “due to the impact that this sector generates in the economy and the real possibilities to achieve a greater integration of intra-regional trade, whose promotion and growth will play a fundamental role in the real possibilities of the urgent economic recovery that our countries need, and to ensure sustained growth in the long term.”

 “We must insist that the search for efficiency of port logistics services, more data and the search for sophisticated tools will be fundamental for risk control, digitalization and the technological upgrading that we have heard about over the last two days, which are fundamental for the growth of the logistics sector,” she stressed.

 Ana Margarita Reyes, deputy administrator of the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP), said that Latin America and the Caribbean need innovative policies to boost knowledge sharing, strengthen the supply chain and foster innovation. “Panama's maritime industry has become a role model thanks to all the actions we implemented during the Covid pandemic (...) as a leader we will continue to focus on efficiency and quality to remain a reference in the maritime port sector.”

Edgar Patiño, president of the National Port Authority of Peru (APN) stressed the importance of the VI Meeting of Logistic Port Communities as a space to advance in the institutionalization of the logistic port community. “I am sure that this will strengthen the port sector in the region and I consider that the objectives have been met.”

The VI Latin American and Caribbean Meeting of Logistic Port Communities, sponsored by the Permanent Secretariat of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA), jointly with CAF - development bank of Latin America and the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP), was held from 16 to 18 March, where government authorities and experts in the area addressed issues related to digital transformation, cybersecurity and strategies for sustainable port development.