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President of the CIM

Maria ines

María Inés Castillo de Sanmartín

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María Inés Castillo de Sanmartín
President of the CIM 2022-2025
 Minister of Social Development of Panama

She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Law and Political Science from the University of Panama. She completed a Master's Degree in Business Law at the Universidad Adolfo Báñez in Chile and holds a Master's Degree in Public Policy Management.

In addition, she is a specialist in Gender Equity and Social Inclusion, as well as in the areas of Administration of Non-Profit Organizations from The Ohio State University, Negotiation and International Trade from the O.E.A -USACH) and in Finance from the Universidad Autónoma de México.

She held positions as Vice Minister in the Ministry of Commerce and Industries in 2009, Coordinator of the Division of Promotion and Sale of State Assets of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Secretary General of Panama Pacifico from 2005 to 2009 and legal advisor of the Interoceanic Region Authority (ARI) from 2002 to 2004.

Prior to her appointment as minister, she served as advisor to the Vice Ministry of Multilateral Affairs and Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and director appointed by the Executive Branch to the Board of Directors of the Panama Special Economic Area Agency.

In her capacity as Minister of Social Development, she also serves as president of the Board of Directors of the National Women's Institute and chairs important councils such as the National Women's Council, the National Council for the Care of Adolescent Mothers and ais president of the National Council for Gender Parity, from which she leads the Gender Parity Initiative of Panama.

She has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Voces Vitales Foundation of Panama, a subsidiary of Voces Vitales International, a non-profit organization that works for the economic empowerment of women and fights to break poverty circles of teenage mothers and their babies. She is also an Associate of the Association of Women Directors of Panama (ADP), the National Bar Association of Panama and the National Forum of Women of Political Parties (Foro Nacional de Mujeres de Partidos Políticos).