Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Panamanian Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha Vásquez Before Their Meeting

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Good morning, everyone. It's a great pleasure to have Foreign Minister Acha here. Of course, we're here together to meet with many colleagues who are participating in the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity, but it's also an important opportunity for us to spend some time together. Because of the importance that we both attach to the relationship between the United States and Panama, we have been, remain, and will be the closest of partners in advancing so many of the things that people in both of our countries are looking for, including inclusive economic growth, including modernizing our economies to flourish in the 21st century, and including dealing with many challenges of security, sustainability in our hemisphere and beyond.

Panama has played and continues to play a very important role in international organizations in our hemisphere and around the world. And of course, we're working together to deal with the challenge of irregular migration, to do it in a safe, orderly, and humane way. And Javier, I'm really grateful to you. I think your first day in office you signed with Secretary Mayorkas -

FOREIGN MINISTER MARTÍNEZ-ACHA: Yes, indeed.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: - the understanding between us on repatriation, and we're really grateful for that - but more broadly, just for the collaboration that we have together. We were talking as well, and I think it's clearly a time for democracies in our hemisphere and well beyond to work even more closely together because we face so many common challenges as well as opportunities. And when we're dealing with them together, we're much more effective. And for that, the United States is particularly grateful for the partnership with Panama.

FOREIGN MINISTER MARTÍNEZ-ACHA: Thank you. Good morning. It is an honor for Panama and for myself to be here. President Mulino sends his regard to Secretary Blinken. He covered everything, but I just want to highlight that we are partners, we share a lot in common, we defend democracy, and we want to cooperate in the major challenges that our vision and the world will face in the future. Panama as a member of the Security Council this year knows its role, knows the importance of trying to find solutions to the different problems in the world. And we are sure that on the leadership of President Mulino, with the collaboration of the USA in friendship, we will tackle these various issues with success. We share values, we are partners, and we understand the importance of our relationships, and we will remain so under (inaudible) term.

Thank you for your time.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thanks very much, everyone.

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