Panama Secures $60M World Bank Deal to Overhaul Land Registry

Panama’s Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) and the World Bank have finalized a $60 million loan agreement aimed at fundamentally transforming how the country manages land records and property titling.

The initiative, titled “Transforming Panama’s Cadastre Program for Results,” will be spearheaded by the National Land Administration Authority (ANATI) over the next four years. Supported by $35 million in matching government funds, the full $95 million budget will go toward overhauling national mapping, land registry data, and property records.

Digital Mapping and Less Red Tape

Finance Minister Felipe Chapman and World Bank Representative Juan Pablo Uribe signed the deal with an eye on solving long-standing issues of territorial disorganization and administrative delays.

Chapman noted that the core goal is consolidating the country’s geographic information into a single, accessible digital database. By replacing paper-heavy procedures and outdated maps with an interoperable platform, the government plans to cut redundant public spending while giving landholders—from small agricultural producers to commercial investors—rock-solid legal backing on their property titles.

Funding Tied to Real Milestones

A key feature of the agreement is how the money will be released. Juan Pablo Uribe, World Bank Division Director for the region, pointed out that this is the bank’s first Program-for-Results operation in Panama.

Under this setup, funds are not handed out up front for equipment or open-ended consulting; payouts will be released gradually as ANATI hits clear, verifiable targets in modernizing the registry system.

The signing was also attended by Vice Minister of Economy Eida Gabriela Sáiz, ANATI Administrator Andrés Pages, and World Bank Operations Manager Carolina Geginat