This paper describes the new policy on science, technology, and innovation (STI), which were explicitly adopted for the first time in 2015. The defined long-term policy and the 2015 - 2019 Strategic Plan that derived from the same were framed using a systemic approach. Its main objectives are to strengthen the national STI system and its governance capacity, so it can cope with the challenges of competitiveness, sustainability and social inclusion faced by Panama. The paper also includes the backgrounds that made it possible to reach the current statement of this explicit policy. Besides, it summarizes the five national programs contained in the 2015-2019 Plan and the system of monitoring, follow-up and evaluation, as well as its current state. Finally, this work projects the incorporation of the prospective methodology to plan the STI within a time horizon: “Panama Studio 2040: An Scenario for a Successful Country. The Role of the Scientific Community”.