- EIB President Nadia Calviño is set to meet the president of Panama and key ministers to reinforce cooperation on sustainable investment.
- The EIB will announce a project to modernise and expand the power grid, improving reliability, efficiency and access to clean energy.
- There will be field visits to the Panama Canal and Juan Díaz wastewater treatment plant, both financed by the EIB, highlighting the Bank’s ongoing support for the country’s green and resilient infrastructure.
European Investment Bank (EIB) Group President Nadia Calviño and EIB Vice-President Ioannis Tsakiris will travel to Panama for a mission aimed at strengthening the partnership between the EIB and the country’s government and business sector in support of sustainable growth, climate action and inclusive development.
During their visit, President Calviño will hold a bilateral meeting with President of Panama José Raúl Mulino and, together with Vice-President Tsakiris, they will meet several ministers and cabinet members to discuss ongoing cooperation and future investment opportunities under the EU Global Gateway strategy.
The EIB delegation will also announce the signature of a new project to support the modernisation and expansion of Panama’s electricity distribution network. The operation will enhance the reliability and efficiency of the national power grid, connect new users, including low-income households, and enable greater integration of distributed renewable energy sources.
As part of the programme, the EIB delegation will visit the Panama Canal expansion, one of the country’s most strategic pieces of infrastructure and a landmark project financed in part by the EIB, as well as the Juan Díaz wastewater treatment plant, co-financed by the EIB. The facility now provides safe wastewater treatment for around 700 000 people and has doubled its processing capacity, improving public health and environmental protection in the metropolitan area.
“The European Investment Bank is where it is needed. We will end the year with record financing for Latin America and the Caribbean, with over €3 billion committed. Panama is an example of the success of this partnership, where we invest in high-impact projects that improve the lives of thousands of Panamanians,” said EIB Group President Nadia Calviño, speaking ahead of the mission.
“Visiting Panama gives us a unique opportunity to see first-hand how sustainable infrastructure transforms communities and makes lives better. By modernising the national power grid and supporting resilient projects like the Juan Díaz wastewater treatment plant, the EIB is helping provide a cleaner and more reliable energy supply and vital public services to Panamanians. Our partnership with Panama clearly shows how financing and European experience can drive inclusive growth, strengthen climate resilience and foster long-term sustainability across Latin America,” said EIB Vice-President Ioannis Tsakiris.
The visit underlines the EIB’s role as the European Union’s climate and development bank and its growing engagement across Latin America, supporting projects that drive the green transition, enhance connectivity and foster inclusive economic growth.
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Background information
About EIB Global:
The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. It finances investments that contribute to EU policy objectives.
EIB Global is the EIB Group’s specialised arm devoted to increasing the impact of international partnerships and development finance, and a key partner of the Global Gateway. It aims to support around $115 billion (€100 billion) of investment by the end of 2027. EIB Global brings the EIB Group closer to people, companies and institutions through its offices across the world. Photos of EIB headquarters for media use are available here.
The EIB in Latin America and the Caribbean
The European Investment Bank has been providing economic support for projects in Latin America and the Caribbean since 2022, facilitating long-term investment with favourable conditions and providing the technical support needed to ensure that these projects deliver positive social, economic and environmental results. Since the EIB began operating in Latin America in 1993 and the Caribbean in 1978, it has provided total financing of more than $20 billion (€17 billion) to support over 350 projects in 30 countries in the region.
About the Global Gateway Investment Agenda:
EIB Global is a key partner in the implementation of the European Union’s Global Gateway Investment Agenda, supporting sound projects that improve global and regional connectivity in the digital, climate, transport, health, energy and education sectors. Investing in connectivity is at the very heart of what EIB Global does, building on the Bank’s 65 years of experience in this domain.