Written By: Staff Writer
Source: People's Daily Online/Xinhua
Complete Story

Panama will become the United Nations' regional headquarters for Latin America and the Caribbean, Nils Kastberg, the regional director of the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) told reporters on Monday.

The regional headquarters will be located in the new City of Knowledge, being build in the former Howard Military Base, on which the Panama government has spent two million U.S. dollars for the first stage of re-development.

Panama's President Martin Torrijos told media that the UN move consolidates Panama as a center of regional agencies and international organizations, confirming the quality of its legal system and infrastructure.

Kastberg said that Panama's security and stability were the foundation for the establishment of the UN headquarters.

In Panama, in contrast to some places in other continents, things had gone ahead without complications and with a great deal of willingness to offer the UN facilities to undertake its work, he added.

"Panama took the lead ahead of other regions, showing leadership and commitment traditionally seen in its actions at the United Nations," he said.