U.S. Special Operations Forces consisting of Special Forces, Civil Affairs, and Psychological Operations service members participated in a new initiative named Embassy on the Road with U.S. Ambassador to Panama Mari Aponte, in Chiriquí.
Embassy on the Road is designed to increase U.S. partnerships in the Western region of Panama and to develop closer ties with several leading public and private institutions.
U.S. Army Captain Greg Johnson, Civil Military Support Element Team Leader, facilitated the Ambassador’s visit to a rural area of Panama.
During Ambassador Aponte’s visit, she met with nongovernmental organizations and the University of Panama Chiriquí to discuss the economic situation in Western Panama and development plans for the region.
Development projects include an agricultural cooperative to provide logistics and technical support to independent farmers, the development of agrotourism, and a mid-sized port located near Boca Chica. The port is financed by a combination of Panamanian and U.S. investors.
The next Embassy on the Road will take place in the Eastern region of Panama with the goal of enhancing interagency collaboration, fostering a whole of government approach, and promoting the U.S. as Panama’s partner of choice.
