Barcelona has taken a significant step towards strengthening its economic and institutional links with Latin America, following a high-level meeting between city officials and a senior Panamanian minister on Monday.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Mayor Jaume Collboni and Second Deputy Mayor Maria Eugènia Gay hosted Julio Moltó, the Minister of Commerce and Industry of Panama, at the city hall’s historic Saló de Ciutat. The meeting was a key part of an official Panamanian mission to the Catalan capital, strategically timed to coincide with the influential MWC Barcelona tech conference, an event which consistently boosts the city’s economy and international profile.
A Strategic Agenda
The visit was designed to showcase Panama as a strategic hub for Catalan and Spanish businesses looking to expand into Latin America. Earlier in the day, Minister Moltó was the keynote speaker at a business session titled “Panama: Investment Platform and Gateway to Latin America.”
The powerful employers’ association Foment del Treball Nacional and the public-private partnership Barcelona Global organised the event. Here, Minister Moltó pitched Panama as a crucial ally for internationalisation. He emphasised Panama’s role as a stable and advantageous base for coordinating regional operations, telling business leaders, “We are a gateway for Catalan companies in the region,” as reported by Crónica Global.
The minister’s schedule underscored the comprehensive nature of the mission. Before his meeting with Mayor Collboni, Moltó held a working lunch with the President of the Port of Barcelona to explore new logistical opportunities and enhance port cooperation. The delegation also engaged with other key Catalan and Spanish figures, including the President of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the President of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, and Spain’s Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, himself a former mayor of Barcelona.
Showcasing Barcelona’s Strengths
During the meeting at the Ajuntament de Barcelona, the city’s leadership highlighted its key assets to the Panamanian delegation. According to an official statement from the city council, Mayor Collboni and Deputy Mayor Gay presented Barcelona’s credentials as a global epicentre for major congresses and its dynamic innovation and start-up ecosystem.
The Panamanian Ministry also expressed particular interest in specific areas of potential collaboration, such as the models of Barcelona Activa, the city’s local economic development agency, and the Barcelona Film Commission. This suggests future cooperation could focus on entrepreneurship support and attracting audiovisual productions.
For a city administration facing budgetary challenges, attracting international investment and forging such global partnerships are critical components of its economic strategy. Mayor Collboni has previously highlighted how a deadlock in the Catalan budget could put significant municipal funding at risk, making external economic drivers all the more vital.
Building on Existing Foundations
The discussions also served to build upon an existing, if modest, relationship. Barcelona and Panama are already connected through international city networks, including the Ibero-American centre for Strategic Urban Development (CIDEU) and the Union of Ibero-American Capital Cities (UCCI).
The visit aimed to move beyond these existing frameworks to identify fresh opportunities for cooperation in economic, cultural, logistical, and urban services. Both sides acknowledged the complementarity of their strategic sectors, with Barcelona offering expertise in technology, innovation, and creative industries, and Panama providing unparalleled logistical access to the Americas.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to deepen this collaboration, leveraging the strengths of each city to enhance their respective roles within global networks. As Barcelona continues to position itself as a gateway to Europe, this reinforced partnership with Panama solidifies a vital connection to the burgeoning markets of Latin America.
