Panama Withdraws from Belt and Road Initiative

Panama’s Decision

• Panama withdrew from China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
• The country did not renew the 2017 Memorandum of Agreement with China.

Background on Panama Canal

• The Panama Canal is an 82 km artificial waterway connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
• Vital for international shipping, saving ships from traveling around South America.
• Over two-thirds of the canal’s traffic is linked to the United States.
• The US built the canal and transferred control to Panama in 1999 under the 1977 treaties.

Israel & US Withdraw from UNHRC

• Israel and the US have withdrawn from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).