World BASC Organization

BASC Panama Advances Global Trade Security at its 2025 International Forum

Date

On April 29, BASC Panama hosted the International Forum “Navigating the Maritime and Logistics Future of Panama: Security for Global Trade,” reaffirming its place as one of the most important events of the year for the logistics, maritime, and international trade sectors in the region and for World BASC Organization (WBO). 

The Forum brought together more than 150 business leaders, international organizations, and national authorities for high-level technical and strategic discussions on the challenges and opportunities facing global trade, with a focus on security, compliance, and innovation. 

Foro Internacional BASC Panamá 2025

Representing World BASC Organization (WBO) were Oscar Sánchez, chairman of the WBO board, Erik Moncayo, international president, and Suzanne Lemaitre, executive director. The event also welcomed a strong delegation of BASC chapter board presidents and executive directors.

Momentos del Foro Internacional BASC Panamá 2025
First photo: Highlights from the BASC Panama 2025 International Forum. Second photo: Delegation of BASC chapter board presidents and executive directors at the Forum. From left to right: Walter López, president of BASC Antioquia; Fabricio Muñoz, executive director of BASC Guayaquil; Pedro Pablo Peña, president of BASC Ecuador; Oscar Sánchez, president of WBO; Marcela Ortíz, executive director of BASC Costa Rica; Giomar González, executive director of BASC Panama; Suzanne Lemaitre, executive director of WBO; Erik Moncayo, international president of WBO; Diego Castillo, executive director of BASC Pichincha; and Raúl Villalobos, president of BASC Panama.

The forum featured prominent national and international speakers, including Panama’s minister of Commerce and Industry Julio Moltó; Soraya Valdivieso, director of the National Customs Authority; Silvia Fernández de Marucci from PROPANAMÁ; and Víctor Vial, vice president of Finance at the Panama Canal Authority. Other participants included senior representatives from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and industry leaders such as Colon Container Terminal, APM Terminals, Maersk, Panama Canal Railway Company, SAAM Towage, PSA Panama Terminal, Ocean Network Express, Narval Holding Corp., SSA Marine MIT, Seaboard Marine, and BigBear.ai. 

Mr. Moncayo participated in the panel “Global and Maritime Challenges in the Age of International Trade” alongside Víctor Guerra, head of compliance at the ICC – Paris; Sergio Naranjo, coordinator of the PCCP UNODC; César Schiaffino, capacity coordinator of the PCCP UNODC; and Yuri Nuñez, director of planning at the Ministry of Public Security of Panama. 

Key discussion topics included the global impact of Panama’s logistics hub, opportunities for the shipping industry, port modernization, cybersecurity challenges, public-private cooperation, risk management, and strengthening operations at the Panama Canal. 

During the forum, WBO and the UNODC signed a Letter of Intent, reaffirming over two decades of collaboration to promote secure logistics environments and combat transnational crime. 

Carta de Entendimiento UNODC - WBO
First photo: Moments from the signing of the Letter of Understanding between UNODC and WBO. Second photo, left to right: Raúl Villalobos, president of BASC Panama; Oscar Sánchez, president of WBO; Soraya Valdivieso, director of the National Customs Authority of Panama; Erik Moncayo, international president of WBO; Cristina Iampieri, head of the Container Control Programme at UNODC; Giomar González, executive director of BASC Panama; and James L. Collins, deputy assistant commissioner at the CBP Office of International Affairs. 

World BASC Organization congratulates BASC Panama, its Board of Directors, executive director Giomar González, and the entire team for the successful organization of this Forum and for their strong commitment to enhancing international trade security. This event further positions Panama as a world-class logistics hub and reinforces BASC’s leadership at both national and regional levels. 

Photo gallery of the Forum.