Ambassador Francisco O. Mora addressed a gathering on September 7, 2023, to celebrate the Panama Canal's historical significance and future challenges. In his remarks, he emphasized the canal as a symbol of human ambition and international cooperation.
The Panama Canal is often called the "Eighth Wonder of the World" due to its role in transforming global trade by connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The United States played a crucial role in its completion under President Theodore Roosevelt, overcoming significant challenges such as disease and difficult terrain.
Mora highlighted the contributions of Afro-descendants from the Caribbean who were instrumental in building the canal despite facing racial segregation and unequal treatment. He acknowledged their efforts as essential to creating this engineering marvel.
The historical ties between the United States and Panama are also reflected in the Organization of American States (OAS). Mora mentioned that one of his predecessors, deLesseps Story Morrison Sr., served as U.S. Ambassador to the OAS during John F. Kennedy's administration. Morrison was related to Ferdinand de Lesseps, who initially attempted to build a sea-level canal in Panama.
Mora also recalled the Torrijos-Carter Treaties signed 46 years ago at the Hall of Americas, which facilitated Panama's control over the canal after 1999. President Jimmy Carter was pivotal in ensuring these treaties were ratified by Congress, leading to a peaceful transfer of control on December 31, 1999.
Reflecting on Carter's view expressed in Time magazine about these treaties being worth their cost due to values like equality and justice, Mora urged for continued collaboration amid current challenges such as piracy and climate change affecting canal operations.
He stressed that environmental conservation is crucial for safeguarding this vital trade route against rising sea levels and changing weather patterns. He called for renewed international cooperation similar to that which built the canal originally.
In conclusion, Mora reiterated that protecting this legacy involves recognizing diverse contributions while addressing modern threats like climate change through collective action.