U.S. and Panama Sign a Letter of Intent to Increase Security Cooperation
Panamanian Minister of Public Security Rolando Mirones and Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad F. Wolf signed a Letter of Intent for Security Cooperation.
WASHINGTON – Today, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad F. Wolf and Panamanian Minister of Public Security Rolando Mirones signed a Letter of Intent for Security Cooperation at DHS headquarters in Washington, DC, to improve the two countries’ collaborative security efforts.
“Today marks a big step forward in confronting the significant security challenges across Central America together with our partners in Panama,” said Acting Secretary Wolf. “As a natural geographic choke point for migrants coming north from South America, Panama is strategically important to addressing the migration crisis that has been affecting nearly the entire hemisphere. With this Letter of Intent, the United States and Panama are expanding our cooperation to confront transnational criminal organizations and the drugs they traffic by increasing our collaboration across a multitude of security fronts.”
The Security Cooperation Letter of Intent reflects the commitment of both countries to:
- Strengthen cybersecurity cooperation and policy planning;
- Enhance customs processes and efficiencies to better facilitate trade;
- Support border security and law enforcement efforts to combat transnational crime and impede irregular migration flows; and
- Work collaboratively on a strategic regional approach to migration management.
Panama is a crucial partner in the struggle against transnational organized crime, counter-narcotics, counter-terrorism, and border security challenges. Further enhancing our cooperation will diminish the criminal organizations operating in the region that are profiting from human smuggling and trafficking and victimizing the most vulnerable populations.