Panama Canal: Why Trump dey threaten to try to regain control of ...

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Di President-elect of di United States Donald Trump don ask Panama to reduce fees for di Panama Canal or make dem return am to US control.

Trump say Panama dey collect fees wey dey too 'unfair' and di country need to stop am.

President-elect Trump bin tok dis one for Arizona on Sunday wia e address supporters of Turning Point USA, a conservative activist group wey provide significant support to im 2024 election campaign.

Trump make am known for im comment say wen e take office next month, e go take action concerning di Panama Canal.

Dis tok by Trump no go well wit Panama president wey tok say im kontri dey independent and nothing fit do dem.

President José Raúl Mulino say "everi square metre" of di canal and surrounding area belong to im kontri.

President Mulino even add say Panama sovereignty and independence dey non-negotiable.

Dis comment by Trump be like a rare example of a US leader say e fit push a country to hand ova territory.

Although e no explain how e go do di takeova but na sign of how American foreign policy and diplomacy fit shift once e enta di White House afta im inauguration on 20 January, 2025.

Na sake of di high shipping fees wey Trump claim say Panama dey collect for di Canal, na im make am threaten to regain control of am.

If di shipping rates no dey lower, Trump tok say, "we go demand say make dem return di Panama Canal to us, in full, quickly and without kwestion".

E also accuse di central American kontri say dem dey charge "too much price" to American shipping and naval vessels.

"Di fees wey dem dey charge for Panama dey ridiculous, highly unfair," e tok.

"Dis complete rip-off of our country go immediately stop".

Di 51-mile (82km) Panama Canal cut across di central American nation and na di main link between di Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Dem build am for di early 1900s and di US bin maintain control ova di canal zone until 1977, wen treaties gradually take di land back to Panama.

Afta a period of joint control, Panama take sole control for 1999.

Up to 14,000 ships cross di canal per year, including container ships wey dey carry cars, natural gas and oda goods, and military vessels.

Unlike di Suez Canal, di Panama Canal dey feed on freshwater lake, Lake Gatún, and di water level dey critically low.Di Panama Canal dey rely on rainwater and e dey in short supply.

Last year 2023, lack of rain and di El Nino weather bin contribute to di second driest year for di canal 110-year history.

Di canal region dey see 41% less rainfall dan normal, and di lack of water dey threaten to continue to dey affect di $270bn (£213bn) worth of cargo wey dey flow through di Atlantic-Pacific shortcut annually.

Dem bin introduce water-saving measures. E mean say fewer ships fit pass through di canal each day.

Dem slash di number of vessels from an average of 36 to 24 as each ship dey also carry less cargo becos weight restrictions.

Dis na becos water from di lake dey required to operate di canal locks.

Howeva, di lack of water dey pose a problem for global trade. Di Panama Canal Authority also dey supply drinking water for half of di kontri population, including di resident of di capital, Panama City.

Di Panama Canal Authority first eva chief sustainability officer, Ilya Espino de Marotta, say dem dey work to find solutions to ensure say di canal no run out of water.

Di Panama Canal dey work by moving boats through series of above-sea-level locks wey Lake Gatún and di smaller Lake Alajuela dey feed.

Each ship wey pass through di locks dey use around 50 million gallons of water wit di new locks wey dem build for 2016.

Meanwhile, di larger Neo-Panamax locks dey save 60% of di water.