U.S. GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS MICRO AND SMALL ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY BUSINESSES
Panama City. –April 30, 2008— The U.S. Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) carried out a training of trainers program in business plan development for micro and small, environmentally friendly businesses.
Twenty-nine professionals from government institutions, universities, non-governmental organizations and private enterprises that implement field activities in support of producers of the communities in the Panama Canal Watershed completed this training. Topics such as market research, how to establish a business, developing business plans, basic accounting, how to carry out a cost-benefit analysis, and determining the viability of a business were included in the training offered by the Business Incubator of the City of Knowledge.
SPAIN’S ENVIRONMENTAL PROSECUTOR GIVES CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMINAL LAW IN PANAMA
Panamá city. –April 4, 2008—USAID organized a public Environmental Governance conference focusing on environmental criminal law, and facilitated by Antonio Vercher Noguera, Spain’s Environmental Prosecutor.
Participants included 200 Judicial Branch and Public Ministry officers, and the, environmental lawyers from the National Environmental Authority, from independent environmental lawyers, businessmen, representatives from non-government organizations, officials from a number of government institutions, and the general public.
USAID SUPPORTS THE STRENGTHENING OF ENVIRONMENTAL INSTITUTIONALITY
Panama, city –April 2, 2008—USAID, through the Conservation of Biodiversity in the Panama Canal Watershed Program, organized a seminar for judges and public prosecutors in Panama that covered the Environmental Penal code. It was coordinated with the National Environmental Authority and the Public Ministry.
Participants in the seminar learned the latest on environmental regulations and the application of new environmental and landuse penal codes
Topics covered included: appraisal of environmental damage and applicable punishments, management of evidence and environmental criminal law. As a result of this seminar, the National Environmental Authority and the Public Ministry are better prepared to combat environmental crime and have to learned to utilize new procedures those who violated the law.
USAID ORGANIZES FIRST SYMPOSIUM ON BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION
Panama city. –March 28, 2008—USAID, through its Conservation of the Biodiversity in the Panama CanalWatershed program, organized the First Symposium on Best Management Practices (BMP) for Sustainable Production.
Best practices were discussed as well as how to avoid and/or mitigate the environmental damage caused by agriculture, cattle ranching and tree nurseries. More than 150 professionals from government institutions, NGO's and private enterprises responsible for providing technical assistance to rural producers, attended the event
USAID gives a donation to CICA
Panama City , Panama-January 11, 2008-The Director of the Agency for International Development (USAID), Kermit C. Moh, gives a donation to the International Center for Environmental Training (CICA), Beatriz Tejeira and Mr. Greggory Hernandez. CICA is an NGO focused on planning and community organization that developed a sustainable tourism development project in the San Antonio indigenous community in the buffer area of the Soberania National Park
Award Winning Project Empowers Communities to Take a Stand Against Pollution
Panama City, Panamá--January 15 , 2008--USAID and the Panama Canal Authority started the Panama Canal Watershed Incentive Fund in 2005 by each dedicating 2.5 million dollars to ensure the improvement of biodiversity, conservation, and resource management in the critical Panama Canal Watershed. One of the many plans included in this alliance, that has been recognized for outstanding achievements, is a surveillance and control plan established to eradicate the illegal dumping that is contaminating the vital tributaries of the Panama Canal hasempoweredcommunity members to form environmental watch groups and work with local authorities to enforce environmental laws that stamp out pollution in one of the most crucial watersheds of the world. This project was awarded Best Lessons Learned from the Portal ECO INDEX in January. You can access the ECOINDEX page (in English and Spanish) by clicking here: http://www.eco-index.org/new/lessons/new.cfm
Discovering the Rain Forest
Panama City , Panama-January 11, 2008 --President of Panama, Martin Torrijos, Ambassador William A. Eaton, along with USAID Mission Director Kermit Moh, recently helped inaugurate the Panama Rainforest Discovery Center located in the buffer zone of the Soberania National Park. This AVIFAUNA Foundation project consists of a visitor’s center, an observation tower, and walking trails that allow tourists to enjoy and learn about the hundreds of species of animals and birds, the importance of ecological diversity, and the critical responsibility we have as humans to protect the rainforest. Within its first few weeks of opening, hundreds of tourists, from all over the world, have enjoyed the opportunity to learn and participate in this interactive learning center at this easy to access, yet pristine, rainforest. The first stage of this project was made possible by USAID, and other donors of the business and international communities, as well as Panamanian citizens. Click here to learn more about the Rain Forest Discovery Center.
To Fight Corruption Tomorrow, Educate Youth Today
Panama City, Panamá--December 1 , 2007--
Young adults in impoverished communities are frequently exposed to criminal and corrupt activities. For this reason, USAID has teamed up with the Mariano Rivera Foundation to assist Microsoft and Intel supported Computer Clubhouse Learning Centers, which serve as creative outlets in poor neighborhoods to empower young people with the tools they need to succeed.
(Due to the large file size of the video, you may wish to save it to your local computer by right-clicking on the above link, then selecting "Save Target As..")
SPAIN’S ENVIRONMENTAL PROSECUTOR GIVES CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMINAL LAW IN PANAMA
, organized a seminar for judges and public prosecutors in Panama that covered the Environmental Penal code. It was coordinated with the National Environmental Authority and the Public Ministry. 
duction.
gives a donation to the International Center for Environmental Training (CICA), Beatriz Tejeira and Mr. Greggory Hernandez. CICA is an NGO focused on planning and community organization that developed a sustainable tourism development project in the San Antonio indigenous community in the buffer area of the Soberania National Park
n dollars to ensure the improvement of biodiversity, conservation, and resource management in the critical Panama Canal Watershed. One of the many plans included in this alliance, that has been recognized for outstanding achievements, is a surveillance and control plan established to eradicate the illegal dumping that is contaminating the vital tributaries of the Panama Canal hasempoweredcommunity members to form environmental watch groups and work with local authorities to enforce environmental laws that stamp out pollution in one of the most crucial watersheds of the world. This project was awarded Best Lessons Learned from the Portal ECO INDEX in January. You can access the ECOINDEX page (in English and Spanish) by clicking here: 
covery Center located in the buffer zone of the Soberania National Park. This AVIFAUNA Foundation project consists of a visitor’s center, an observation tower, and walking trails that allow tourists to enjoy and learn about the hundreds of species of animals and birds, the importance of ecological diversity, and the critical responsibility we have as humans to protect the rainforest. Within its first few weeks of opening, hundreds of tourists, from all over the world, have enjoyed the opportunity to learn and participate in this interactive learning center at this easy to access, yet pristine, rainforest. The first stage of this project was made possible by USAID, and other donors of the business and international communities, as well as Panamanian citizens. 
Panama City, Panamá