State-Owned Enterprises in Panama

ByWim Fonteyne

September 16, 2025

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Summary

Panama has a significant and diverse state-owned enterprise (SOE) sector, comprising 16 non-financial enterprises, 5 financial institutions, and the Panama Canal Authority (ACP). The ACP operates under a specific legal and budgetary framework that ensures its institutional autonomy, which has been key to its success. The other SOEs operate under a different legal framework and have seen mixed performance. Drawing lessons from the success of the ACP, greater independence in their governance, finances and operations, coupled with increased transparency and more effective oversight, would likely help improve their financial performance as well as the quality of the services they provide.

Subject: Budget planning and preparation, Corporate governance, Economic sectors, Privatization, Public enterprises, Public financial management (PFM)

Keywords: ACP SOEs, Budget planning and preparation, Caribbean, Corporate governance, diverse state-owned enterprise, Panama Canal Authority, Panamanian state-owned enterprises, Privatization, Public enterprises, State-Owned Enterprises, state-owned enterprises in Panama, Western Hemisphere department

Pages:
25
Volume:
2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5089/9798229025928.018
Issue:
124
Series:
Selected Issues Paper No. 2025/124
Stock No:
SIPEA2025124
ISBN:
9798229025928
ISSN:
2958-7875

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Selected Issues Papers