Panama’s chief negotiator for FTA with China appointed deputy minister

PANAMA, Jan 17, 2019, EFE. President Juan Carlos Varela appointed Alberto Aleman Arias, current head of negotiations for a trade agreement with China, as deputy minister of Foreign Trade, informed an official source, reported the Panama Today.

Aleman will replace Nestor Gonzalez as Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade, who currently holds the position of Minister of Commerce and Industry, the Commerce portfolio said in a statement.

The new deputy minister will also continue as Chief Negotiator for Panama for the negotiations of the Trade Agreement with China, with four rounds up to now.

As Deputy Minister of investments and exports promotion, topics that are complemented by the negotiations of the trade agreement with China.

His approach with productive sectors of goods, investments, and services in the consultation process as chief negotiator of the trade agreement with China “will be strengthened with this designation as Vice Minister of Foreign Trade,” said the Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MICI).

Aleman has 10 years of experience in matters related to international trade and foreign investment, and previously served as director of the Agency for the Promotion of Investments and Exports (PROINVEX) of MICI.

As director of PROINVEX he led initiatives for the attraction and maintenance of foreign investment in Panama.

He was responsible for directing with the Government of Panama and the transnational DHL the creation and implementation of the Global Center of Excellence.

He was also the Development Manager of the Panama Pacific Plan, a public-private initiative that has attracted more than 300 international companies and generated more than 12,000 jobs, according to official information.