On February 7, 1994, the Republic of Panama
and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan signed a Joint Communiqué at the United
Nations headquarters in New York, through which both countries established
diplomatic relations. The Communiqué declared that “guided by the principles
stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of April 1961 and
the Charter of the United Nations, both countries establish diplomatic
relations and agree to appoint non-resident Ambassadors...”
اضافة اعلان
The Ambassadors, Permanent Representatives to
the United Nations in New York from both countries, were responsible for the
signing of this historic Joint Communiqué, marking the beginning of these 30
years of friendship and cooperation.
For the Republic of Panama, Ambassador Carlos
Arosemena signed the Joint Communiqué, and for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,
Ambassador Adnan S. Abu Odeh.
In 1995, H.E. Jorge Barletta, Ambassador of
Panama to Egypt, was designated as the first non-resident Ambassador of Panama
to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
However, before these dates, Panama was one of
the pioneering countries among Latin American nations in establishing its
presence in the Levant region at the end of the 1970s. Through conversations
between the then Ambassador of Jordan, H.E. Taysir Tokan, and the Ambassador of
Panama, H.E. Virgilio F. Brandford, both accredited in the former Yugoslavia in
1976, the interest of both Governments in establishing diplomatic relations was
first expressed (Institutional Memory, 1976).
Consular relations were established with the
Hashemite Kingdom in 1979, with the opening of an Honorary Consulate and the
appointment of Mr. Najeeb A. Fakhoury (may he rest in peace) as Honorary
Consul. This appointment was reaffirmed and extended years later by the
Panamanian government to the Jordanian government through Decree No. 31 of
March 6, 1985. Mr. Fakhoury managed the Honorary Consulate from 1979 until its
closure in 1995, handling consular affairs with the utmost integrity. The
Republic of Panama will be infinitely grateful to Mr. Fakhoury for his years of
dedicated service to the country.
As we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Panama and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, we mull over the journey that has brought our nations closer, strengthening a bilateral relationship built on mutual respect, understanding, and shared values. This milestone is not only a testimony to three decades of diplomatic efforts but also a celebration of the cultural, economic, and social ties that have flourished between our peoples.
Panama conducted its relations with the
Hashemite Kingdom, Lebanon, and Palestine from a Consular Legation that existed
in Damascus until the mid-1980s. The consular jurisdictions in Amman, Beirut,
and the West Bank were concurrently the responsibility of the Embassy of Panama
in Greece and were attended from Damascus, Syria.
This Consular Legation existed due to the
considerable number of Panamanians of Arab origin (Lebanese, Syrians,
Jordanians, and Palestinians) descendants from the first waves of migration
that arrived in Latin America during the first two decades of the 20th century.
Arabs who were erroneously called “Turks” for arriving with travel documents
from the extinct Ottoman Empire.
During the 1970s, a second wave of Arab
migration to Latin America occurred, continuing the process that had begun in
the early 20th century. They sought better economic opportunities, to escape
conflicts or the political instability of the time, and to reunite with family
members who had already settled in the Latin American region.
While it is true that the Arab diaspora in
Latin America mainly settled in countries like Chile and Brazil, many also
established themselves in Panama. Since 1948, our country has been home to the
Colón Free Zone, the largest free zone in the Western Hemisphere and the second
largest in the world, after Hong Kong. The Arab community in Panama quickly
prospered, mainly in sectors such as domestic trade and the import and export
activities of the Free Zone. Among them, a significant number of Jordanians maintained
their family ties in the Kingdom and still today lead their lives between
Panama and Jordan. Currently, the Panamanian-Jordanian community in the kingdom
amounts to about 200 people.
In 2018, as part of a foreign policy aimed at
strengthening and expanding Panama's presence in the Middle East, Southeast
Asia, Africa, and Oceania, following working meetings between the leaders of
both countries, the opening of the first Embassy of Panama before the Hashemite
Kingdom of Jordan was announced.
The official inauguration of the diplomatic
mission in Amman took place on February 25, 2019, with the attendance of the
then First Lady of Panama, H.S. Lorena Castillo, and Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein
(who was acting as regent prince at that time) and his wife Princess Rym
Al-Ali, among other local authorities and the diplomatic corps accredited to
the Royal Hashemite Court. The diplomatic representation was led by H.E. Tomas
A. Guardia, the first resident ambassador of Panama in Jordan.
In recent years, within the framework of
cooperation, Panama has made contributions to solar panels and LED bulbs for
refugee camps on Jordanian soil. Panamanian teachers from the “Panama
Bilingual” program have collaborated in the Zaatari camp, contributing to the
language education of refugee children, as a result of the war in Syria.
In September last year, the ceremonial
establishment of the Interparliamentary Friendship Group between the Hashemite
Kingdom of Jordan and the Republic of Panama took place, marking a significant
milestone in strengthening bilateral relations in the sphere of parliamentary
diplomacy.
This anniversary is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to deepen our diplomatic ties and explore new avenues of partnership that will benefit our nations and peoples for generations to come.
As we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the
establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Panama and the
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, we mull over the journey that has brought our
nations closer, strengthening a bilateral relationship built on mutual respect,
understanding, and shared values. This milestone is not only a testimony to
three decades of diplomatic efforts but also a celebration of the cultural,
economic, and social ties that have flourished between our peoples.
Since the signing of the Joint Communiqué on
February 7, 1994, at the United Nations headquarters in New York, both Panama
and Jordan have embarked on a path of cooperation and friendship, guided by the
principles of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of
the United Nations.
Over these years, our countries have witnessed
the fruits of collaboration across various sectors, contributing to the
development of our nations. As we look to the future, let us continue to
strengthen the bridges of cooperation and friendship between the Republic of
Panama and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, aspiring to achieve even greater
accomplishments together. This anniversary is an opportunity to reaffirm our
commitment to deepen our diplomatic ties and explore new avenues of partnership
that will benefit our nations and peoples for generations to come.
Disclaimer:
Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not necessarily reflect Jordan News' point of view.
Read more Opinion and Analysis
Jordan News
.jpg)
.jpg)
