Relationship dossier
Colombia
Panama
Relationship assessment
Practical cooperation coexists with recurring trade disputes
Colombia toward Panama
+10Colombia signed a free-trade agreement with Panama in 2013 and has engaged in bilateral security cooperation. Colombian trade measures affecting Panamanian goods later contributed to a dispute with Panama.
Panama toward Colombia
+5Panama has engaged in bilateral security cooperation with Colombia. In response to Colombian trade measures, Panama imposed retaliatory measures and pursued a trade dispute.
Overall relationship
+10The relationship combines practical security engagement and a signed trade agreement with recurring trade friction. Disputes over Colombian measures affecting Panamanian goods have periodically strained economic ties.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Colombia and Panama have maintained practical bilateral engagement, including security cooperation and a free-trade agreement signed in 2013. Their relationship has also faced significant trade friction: Colombia's tax measures affecting Panamanian goods prompted retaliatory action by Panama and a trade dispute. Cooperation and recurring economic disagreements characterize the relationship.
Areas of tension
- Trade measures imposed by Colombia affecting Panamanian goods and Panama's retaliation
- Disputes over the treatment of Panama in Colombian tax measures
Key developments
Colombia and Panama signed a free-trade agreement.
Colombian tax measures affecting Panama led to retaliatory trade measures by Panama and a bilateral trade dispute.
Major uncertainties
- The current implementation and scope of bilateral security cooperation are unclear.
- The status and practical effect of the signed free-trade agreement are unclear.