On behalf of the United States of America, I would like to congratulate the people of Panamania on their 123rd anniversary of independence. Panama is one of our most important partners and we will continue to stand with you as you recover from the recent earthquakes. Our strong partnerships enable us to provide humanitarian, logistical and technical assistance within 24 hours of a disaster.
Our relationship has made significant progress this year. Panama joins the American Shield, the American Anti-Cartel Alliance and Pax Silica. Together, we demonstrated our commitment to Panama Canal security during Exercise PANAMAX, the first large-scale live exercise in 14 years. In the year ahead, we will deepen our security partnerships and pursue new trade and investment opportunities. Panama is making a historic investment in the canal and is seeking investment in technology, cybersecurity and other critical infrastructure, as well as health and education. I wish the people of Panama a happy celebration.