Foreign relations of Panama

Panama's foreign relations are conventional in outlook, with Panama being especially aligned with United States since the 1989 US invasion to topple the regime of General Manuel Noriega. The United States cooperates with the Panamanian government in promoting economic, political, security, and social development through U.S. and international agencies.

Diplomatic relations

List of countries which Panama maintains diplomatic relations with:

File:Diplomatic relations of Panama.svg
#	Country	Date
1	United States	Template:Dts
2	France	Template:Dts
3	Russia	Template:Dts
4	Peru	Template:Dts
5	Costa Rica	Template:Dts
6	Japan	Template:Dts
7	Italy	Template:Dts
—	Venezuela (suspended)	Template:Dts
8	Chile	Template:Dts
9	Mexico	Template:Dts
10	Brazil	Template:Dts
11	Switzerland	Template:Dts
12	Cuba	Template:Dts
13	Netherlands	Template:Dts
14	Spain	Template:Dts
15	Portugal	Template:Dts
16	Uruguay	Template:Dts
17	Honduras	Template:Dts
18	Belgium	Template:Dts
19	United Kingdom	Template:Dts
20	Ecuador	Template:Dts
21	El Salvador	Template:Dts
22	Argentina	Template:Dts
—	Holy See	Template:Dts
23	Colombia	Template:Dts
24	Czech Republic	Template:Dts
25	Guatemala	Template:Dts
26	Dominican Republic	Template:Dts
27	Denmark	Template:Dts
28	Sweden	Template:Dts
29	Norway	Template:Dts
30	Nicaragua	Template:Dts
31	Bolivia	Template:Dts
32	Paraguay	Template:Dts
33	Haiti	Template:Dts
34	Lebanon	Template:Dts
35	Israel	Template:Dts
—	Sovereign Military Order of Malta	Template:Dts
36	Turkey	Template:Dts
37	Germany	Template:Dts
38	Serbia	Template:Dts
39	Austria	Template:Dts
40	Greece	Template:Dts
41	Egypt	Template:Dts
42	Madagascar	Template:Dts
43	Canada	Template:Dts
44	India	Template:Dts
45	South Korea	Template:Dts
46	Jamaica	Template:Dts
47	Ethiopia	Template:Dts
48	Pakistan	Template:Dts
49	Cyprus	Template:Dts
50	Romania	Template:Dts
51	Algeria	Template:Dts
52	Guyana	Template:Dts
53	Libya	Template:Dts
54	Bulgaria	Template:Dts
55	Guinea	Template:Dts
56	Poland	Template:Dts
57	Philippines	Template:Dts
58	Guinea-Bissau	Template:Dts
59	Australia	Template:Dts
60	Grenada	Template:Dts
61	Iran	Template:Dts
62	Hungary	Template:Dts
63	Vietnam	Template:Dts
64	Syria	Template:Dts
65	Finland	Template:Dts
66	Malta	Template:Dts
67	Sri Lanka	Template:Dts
68	Kuwait	Template:Dts
69	Iraq	Template:Dts
70	Morocco	Template:Dts
71	Albania	Template:Dts
72	Indonesia	Template:Dts
73	Suriname	Template:Dts
—	Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (suspended)	Template:Dts
74	Equatorial Guinea	Template:Dts
75	Belize	Template:Dts
76	Myanmar	Template:Dts
77	Singapore	Template:Dts
78	Barbados	Template:Dts
79	Thailand	Template:Dts
80	Nepal	Template:Dts
81	Bangladesh	Template:Dts
82	Cameroon	Template:Dts
83	Luxembourg	Template:Dts
84	Senegal	Template:Dts
85	Sudan	Template:Dts
86	Bahrain	Template:Dts
87	Angola	Template:Dts
88	Maldives	Template:Dts
89	Ghana	Template:Dts
90	Bahamas	Template:Dts
91	Lithuania	Template:Dts
92	Saint Kitts and Nevis	Template:Dts
93	Moldova	Template:Dts
94	Slovakia	Template:Dts
95	United Arab Emirates	Template:Dts
96	New Zealand	Template:Dts
97	Seychelles	Template:Dts
98	Ukraine	Template:Dts
99	Malaysia	Template:Dts
100	Jordan	Template:Dts
101	Oman	Template:Dts
102	Latvia	Template:Dts
103	Trinidad and Tobago	Template:Dts
104	South Africa	Template:Dts
105	Estonia	Template:Dts
106	Azerbaijan	Template:Dts
107	Slovenia	Template:Dts
108	Saint Lucia	Template:Dts
109	Kazakhstan	Template:Dts
110	Cambodia	Template:Dts
111	Brunei	Template:Dts
112	Papua New Guinea	Template:Dts
113	Croatia	Template:Dts
114	Andorra	Template:Dts
115	Antigua and Barbuda	Template:Dts
116	Armenia	Template:Dts
117	Belarus	Template:Dts
118	Template:Country data Georgia	Template:Dts
119	Iceland	Template:Dts
120	Nigeria	Template:Dts
121	Ireland	Template:Dts
122	Qatar	Template:Dts
123	Template:Country data North Macedonia	Template:Dts
124	Namibia	Template:Dts
125	Afghanistan	Template:Dts
126	San Marino	Template:Dts
127	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Template:Dts
128	Benin	Template:Dts
129	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Template:Dts
130	Tunisia	Template:Dts
131	Montenegro	Template:Dts
132	Botswana	Template:Dts
133	Djibouti	Template:Dts
134	Monaco	Template:Dts
135	Burkina Faso	Template:Dts
136	Liechtenstein	Template:Dts
137	Mongolia	Template:Dts
138	Dominica	Template:Dts
139	Palau	Template:Dts
140	Solomon Islands	Template:Dts
141	Fiji	Template:Dts
—	Kosovo	Template:Dts
142	Saudi Arabia	Template:Dts
143	Turkmenistan	Template:Dts
144	Ivory Coast	Template:Dts
145	China	Template:Dts
146	Tajikistan	Template:Dts
147	Togo	Template:Dts
148	Kenya	Template:Dts
149	Cape Verde	Template:Dts
150	Laos	Template:Dts
151	Kyrgyzstan	Template:Dts
152	Uzbekistan	Template:Dts
153	Timor-Leste
154	Federated States of Micronesia
155	Mauritania
156	Rwanda	Template:Dts
157	Uganda
158	Vanuatu
159	Zimbabwe	Template:Dts
160	Kiribati	Template:Dts
—	Cook Islands	Template:DTS
161	Marshall Islands	Template:Dts
162	Zambia	Template:Dts
163	Somalia	Template:Dts

Bilateral relations

Country	Formal Relations Began	Notes
Canada	Template:Dts	See Canada–Panama relations Canada has an embassy in Panama City. Panama has an embassy in Ottawa and consulates-general in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.
China	Template:Dts	See China–Panama relations and Panama–Taiwan relations. Panama established a diplomatic relationship with the Qing dynasty in 1909. After the Xinhai Revolution, Panama recognized the establishment of the Republic of China (ROC), and retained diplomatic ties with the ROC until 2017. According to diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks, in 2009, after President Ricardo Martinelli took office, Panama wished to switch diplomatic relations from the ROC to the People's Republic of China (PRC). This was rejected by the PRC, which did not want to disrupt its improving diplomatic relations with the ROC during the ROC Presidency of Ma Ying-jeou. On June 12, 2017, President Juan Carlos Varela announced that Panama has established a diplomatic relationship with People's Republic of China, and Panama has severed diplomatic relationship with the Republic of China (Taiwan). China has an embassy in Panama City. Panama has an embassy in Beijing and consulates-general in Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shanghai.
Chile	1 March 1908	Chile has an embassy in Panama City. Panama has an embassy in Santiago and a consulate-general in Valparaíso.
Colombia	9 July 1924	See Colombia–Panama relations Colombia has an embassy in Panama City and consulates in Colón, Jaqué and Puerto Obaldía. Panama has an embassy in Bogotá and a consulate-general in Barranquilla.
Costa Rica	29 December 1903	See Costa Rica–Panama relations Panama has an embassy in San José. Costa Rica has an embassy in Panama City and a consulate in David.
India	Template:Dts	See India–Panama relations Panama is the first country in Central America where India established a resident embassy in 1973. Bilateral commercial and trade relations are steadily growing between India and Panama, with Panama seen as the gateway for expansion into Latin America. India has an embassy in Panama City. Panama has an embassy in New Delhi and a consulate-general in Mumbai.
Kosovo	27 August 2013	Panama officially recognised the independence of the Republic of Kosovo on 16 January 2009. Kosovo and Panama established diplomatic relations on 27 August 2013, following the establishment of diplomatic relations Kosovo announced it would be opening an embassy in Panama and that this embassy would be Kosovo's 'gateway to Latin America'. Kosovo has an embassy in Panama City. Both countries enjoy excellent relationships.
Mexico	29 May 1923	See Mexico–Panama relations Mexico has an embassy in Panama City. Panama has an embassy in Mexico City and a consulate-general in Veracruz City.
Peru	2 March 1908	Panama has an embassy in Lima. Peru has an embassy in Panama City.
Russia	21 November 1903	See Panama–Russia relations Panama has an embassy in Moscow. Russia has an embassy in Panama city.
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic	1 June 1979	See Panama–Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic relations Panama was the first Latin American country on recognizing the SADR in 1978, during the military rule of Omar Torrijos. Panama also has the oldest Sahrawi embassy in Latin America. Relations were suspended from 20 November 2013 to 7 January 2016;.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	2006	Both countries established diplomatic relations on July 17, 2006. Both countries are full members of the Organization of American States.
Serbia	1953	Both countries have established diplomatic relations in 1953. A number of bilateral agreements have been concluded and are in force between both countries.
South Africa	1995	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 January 1995. Panama has an embassy Pretoria. South Africa is accredited to Panama from its embassy in Lima, Peru.
South Korea	30 September 1962	See Panama–South Korea relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on Sep 30, 1962. Panama has an embassy in Seoul. South Korea has an embassy in Panama City.
Spain	10 May 1904	See Panama–Spain relations Panama has an embassy in Madrid and consulates-general in A Coruña, Barcelona, Las Palmas and Valencia. Spain has an embassy in Panama City.
Thailand	20 August 1982	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 August 1982. Panama has an embassy in Bangkok. Thailand is accredited to Panama from its embassy in Santiago, Chile.
Turkey	21 September 1950	See Panama–Turkey relations Panama has an embassy in Ankara. Turkey has an embassy in Panama. Trade volume between the two countries was US$260.9 million in 2019 (Panamanian exports/imports: 12.1/248.8 million USD).
United Kingdom		See Panama–United Kingdom relations File:PM bilat with Panama President.jpg Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela with British Prime Minister Theresa May in 10 Downing Street, May 2018. The UK established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 9 April 1908. Panama maintains an embassy in London. The United Kingdom is accredited to Panama from its embassy in Panama City. Both countries share common membership of the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the World Trade Organization, as well as the Central America–United Kingdom Association Agreement. Bilaterally the two countries have a Double Taxation Convention, and an Investment Agreement.
United States	13 November 1903 3 April 1964	See Panama–United States relations The United States cooperates with the Panamanian government in promoting economic, political, security, and social development through U.S. and international agencies. Cultural ties between the two countries are strong, and many Panamanians go to the United States for higher education and advanced training. In 2007, the U.S. and Panama partnered to launch a regional health worker training center. The center provides training to community healthcare workers in Panama and throughout Central America. About 25,000 American citizens reside in Panama, many retirees from the Panama Canal Commission and individuals who hold dual nationality. There is also a rapidly growing enclave of American retirees in the Chiriqui Province in western Panama. Panama has an embassy in Washington, D.C., and consulates-general in Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia and Tampa. United States has an embassy in Panama City.
Uruguay	28 October 1904	See Panama–Uruguay relations Panama has an embassy in Montevideo. Uruguay has an embassy in Panama City.
Venezuela	1717 Severed Relations in 2024	See Panama–Venezuela relations

See also

• List of diplomatic missions in Panama
• List of diplomatic missions of Panama

Further reading

• Ealy, Lawrence O. The Republic of Panama in world affairs, 1903-1950 (U of Pennsylvania Press, 1951). online
• Farnsworth, David N., and James W. McKenney. US-Panama relations, 1903–1978: A study in linkage politics (Routledge, 2020).
• Major, John. "‘Pro mundi beneficio’? The Panama Canal as an international issue, 1943–8." Review of International Studies 9.1 (1983): 17–34.
• Williams Jr, Harold E. Panamanian-US Relations Towards 2000: An Opportunity for Partnership (Naval Postgraduate School, 1995) online.