José Raúl Mulino Quintero, President of Panama, said multilateralism must be strengthened, recalling that such collaboration was responsible for removing his country from the European Union-imposed, “discriminatory” Financial Action Task Force blacklist.  Effective reform to the United Nations requires greater representation from Latin American and Caribbean countries in decision-making bodies. The region is the world’s leading food exporter, serves as a link between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans and is home to more than 50 per cent of the planet’s biodiversity.  As a “key global actor […] we must ensure that our representation reflects our role and global significance”.

He highlighted Panama’s “Nature Pledge”, a policy framework for climate, biodiversity and land obligations.  While already a carbon-negative country, Panama is committed to reducing emissions by 2035 and will restore 100,000 hectares of ecosystems — “because nature […] is our front line of defense against climate change”.  It has been 25 years since the Panama Canal passed into his country’s hands, he said, highlighting its pivotal role in the nation’s economic development and international shipping.  Detailing plans to build a water reservoir so ship traffic would not be affected by droughts, he emphasized the importance of neutrality for the waterway’s proper functioning.  “The Panama Canal is neutral […] it is and shall remain Panamanian,” he said.

During its 2025-26 term as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, Panama has focused on maritime security, including arms and drug trafficking.  In that vein, he called for greater cooperation between agencies promoting that security, and efforts to mitigate the effects of migration caused by drug trafficking.  In just one year, Panama reduced northward migrant flows through the Darién region to zero.  “Though the migratory crisis has been resolved, the causes of mass immigration remain unaddressed,” he said, pointing to unchecked migration between Haiti and the Dominican Republic.  Drug trafficking poses a threat to human lives and stability in the region, he added.

This year alone, Panama has seized nearly 150 tons of cocaine and other drugs — “an alarming figure”.  Reaffirming the importance of the UN, he said that when “the winds of unilateralism, polarization and fragmentation are blowing, Panama will raise its voice in the name of multilateralism”. Reaffirming his country’s position as a defender of international law, he noted that “we are stronger together — and only together can we build a stronger and more humane future for all”.