Panama's Minister of Housing and Territorial Planning, Jaime Jované Castillo, stated in an interview with Oxu.Az during WUF13 that Azerbaijan's efforts regarding the return of displaced people have caught their attention.
The minister noted that one of Panama's main economic activities is water. In particular, the management of ship traffic through the Panama Canal directly depends on water resources. However, the country still faces challenges in providing drinking water to its entire population.
He emphasized that the purpose of participating in the event is both to share Panama's experience and to learn from Azerbaijan and other participating countries: "One of the key takeaways from the President's speech at the opening ceremony was the efforts to return people who were forced to leave their homes during crises. This is also very important for us. We want communities in the regions of countries to be re-formed, and those areas not to become empty and abandoned lands."
Jovane highlighted that about 50% of Panama's population lives in the capital, causing serious problems in urbanization, infrastructure, and water supply. Territorial planning should be based on hydrographic basins. He stressed the importance of incorporating river basins into the territorial planning process.
The minister also emphasized the need to restore a sense of collective responsibility in society: "People have forgotten how to live together and protect the resources that sustain them. Water is a human right, but delivering drinking water to the population is also an industrial process dependent on the quality and volume of the raw material. If we do not protect groundwater resources and catchment areas, we can neither ensure access to drinking water nor food security. Agriculture and livestock farming are directly dependent on water resources."
