Singapore Officially Joins Panama Canal Neutrality Treaty During Panamanian President's Visit
Singapore has officially joined the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Functioning of the Panama Canal. This adherence was announced on October 5 during an official visit by Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino to Asia, where he met with Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. The treaty, originally signed on September 7, 1977, by Panama and the United States as part of the Torrijos-Carter agreements, aims to ensure the interoceanic waterway remains open for peaceful transit to vessels of all nations, under conditions of equality and without discrimination, in both peace and wartime. Singapore's integration into this pact reinforces the international commitment to maintaining the canal's neutrality and its crucial role in global trade and navigation.