U.S. official in Panama to promote G7's Build Back Better World initiative

Daleep Singh, a top U.S. economic official, met with Panama's president on Wednesday as the last stop on his three-country Latin America tour to promote a G7's infrastructure program aimed at countering China's Belt and Road initiative.

Singh, the U.S. deputy national security adviser for international economics, met with Panamanian President Laurentino Cortizo at the presidential palace on Wednesday, according to a statement from the U.S. embassy in Panama. "The goal of our trip is to show that democracy continues to be the best way to get results for our work and for people around the world," Singh said.

"For that to become a reality, we have to create alliances that take on the great challenges of our times, including the huge infrastructure gap." During the meeting, Cortizo said Panama's priorities included access to water, digital inclusion, and transparency initiatives, according to a statement from Panama's government.

Singh's meeting with the Panamanian president came after he traveled to Colombia and Ecuador to promote the Build Back Better World program, an initiative developed by the Group of Seven richest democracies as an alternative to Chinese President Xi Jinping's multi-trillion-dollar Belt and Road plan.