Panama city, Panama.- President Juan Carlos Varela agreed today to send a mission of Panamanian scientists to Cuba to exchange with specialists from the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB).

The announcement was made during the presentation of Credentials of the new ambassador of the Caribbean nation to Panama, Lydia Margarita Gonzalez, during which the president and the vice-president of the island, Isabel de Saint Malo, spoke about the potential that exists to increase the exchange.

In his second visit to Cuba’s largest Antilles in 2018, Varela was impressed with the CIGB’s contribution to the national health system and the agricultural sector, the high level of scientific research, the results of the biopharmaceutical industry in the development, production and marketing of a wide range of drugs and health coverage, among other topics of interest.

The high representative of the Brazilian diplomacy in Panama, GlivÃñnia Maria de Oliveira, and the first ambassador of the European Union in Panama, Chris Leon Clark, to whom the president expressed his satisfaction for the increased level of representation of this regional bloc in the Central American country.

This decision reaffirms Europe’s mutual interest in strengthening ties with Panama and, from here, getting closer to the region, assured Varela, who expressed the desire to promote the execution of the agreement on International Development Cooperation-Agenda 2030 during Clark Hoornaert’s administration.

He also expressed interest in expanding cooperation on security and rights, being the European Union a strategic ally of Panama.