Above: Panama President Ricardo Martinelli in Haiti (Photo: OP Haiti)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Panama President Ricardo Martinelli has begun an official visit to Haiti.

Martinelli, who arrived on Tuesday morning, is the first sitting Panamanian President to make an official visit to the country.

As part of the trip, Martinelli will be signing a cooperation agreement with Haiti covering new projects in areas like health, culture, sports and the environment.

He will also be meeting with Haiti President Michel Martelly.

“Panama knows the social and economic situation in Haiti and the efforts being made for recovery,” Martinelli said in a statement. “Therefore I reiterate [our] solidarity and commitment to maintaining joint efforts for the development of the Haitian people.”

Martinelli is being joined by a delegation including Foreign Minister Francisco Alvarez De Soto and other officials.

The visit comes almost two years after Martelly visited Panama, where he was honoured with an award by the University of Panama. Martelly visited Panama twice that year.