Panama to Hold Bilateral Meeting with Colombia to Address Migratory Flow Through Darién Jungle
Panama is preparing to host a bilateral meeting of presidents with Colombia during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly to discuss the increasing irregular migratory flow through the Darién jungle. According to official projections, this flow is expected to reach half a million transits this year.
Janaina Tewaney Mencomo, the Panamanian Foreign Minister, announced on Wednesday that efforts are underway to organize the bilateral meeting. Panamanian authorities have expressed concerns that Colombia is not doing enough to contain the massive influx of migrants on its border, making the meeting between Panamanian President Laurentino Cortizo and his Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro particularly significant for Panama.
The sessions at the UN are scheduled to take place from September 19 to 26. The head of Panamanian diplomacy revealed that the possibility of the cross-border flow exceeding the originally estimated 400,000 crossings had been taken into account for several months. So far this year, nearly 350,000 individuals have already made this journey, surpassing the unprecedented figures recorded in 2022 by 100,000.
Panamanian authorities have announced their intention to implement new measures in an effort to control this migration. However, they have ruled out the option of completely closing the border. The Foreign Minister emphasized that dissuasive measures and the establishment of legal transit routes for migrants are being sought.
In April, the US government declared its plans to open migration centers in Guatemala, Colombia, and Mexico as part of an attempt to manage the mass exodus of asylum seekers heading towards its southern border. These measures were implemented after pandemic-related health restrictions were lifted.