It was "a great achievement" and one "longed for for many years by all Central American countries", this was Panama's accession to SIECA, an organ of the Central American Integration System (SICA), said Anabel Gonzalez, Costa Rican Foreign Trade Minister.

She explained that "last March the Panamanian Congress gave approval to the protocol of incorporation and today the ministers of the Council of Economic Integration (COMIECO) have signed the resolutions which make the incorporation [to SIECA] operational" .

"It's a phase that is ending yet it is a beginning, with hope in strengthening the economic integration process is not only terms of free trade or tariff reductions, but the strengthening of the competitiveness of Central America in a world which is increasingly open, "said the Minister of Development, Industry and Commerce of Nicaragua, Orlando Solorzano

For his part, the Minister of Commerce and Industry of Panama, Ricardo Quijano said Central America is now going to work "as one" on economic integration and Panama can contribute to other countries in its trade relations with South America through logistics and cost reduction. "It is a very important step. Borders are coming closer with greater integration," he said.

Source: sigloxxi.com

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