As part of her diplomatic agenda on the sidelines of the 79th UN General Assembly, Foreign Minister Diana Mondino met today with the Secretary General of the League of Arab States and her counterparts from Luxembourg, Belize, the Hellenic Republic and the United Arab Emirates.
Mondino and the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg, Xavier Bettel held a meeting and, recalling that the bilateral relationship dates back to 1857, they agreed on the need to deepen political, economic and cultural ties. They also addressed the progress of the MERCOSUR-European Union Agreement and, in this regard, Mondino stressed that this is one of the priorities of Argentina’s foreign policy. In addition, she expressed Argentina’s interest in the opportunities for trade in services, especially in the FinTech and Startup sector, in which our country is a regional leader.
Then, the Foreign Minister met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belize, Francis Fonseca, to whom she assured that our country wishes to give new momentum to the bilateral relationship. Foreign Minister Fonseca highlighted the opportunities offered by Belize, as a Caribbean country on the American continent and a member of both CARICOM and SICA. As to bilateral trade, Foreign Minister Mondino underscored Argentina’s interest in increased trade, and stated that certain sectors should be further developed including the automotive sector, pharmaceuticals, food and beverages. They also discussed the relationship with other MERCOSUR members and the possibilities for cooperation.
On the other hand, at her meeting with the Secretary General of the League of Arab States, Aboul Gheit, Mondino discussed Argentina's interest in consolidating ties with the member countries of the Arab League and in expanding and diversifying economic exchanges with that region. "Argentina is a global leader in the provision of food, capable of contributing decisively to the food security priorities of the Middle East," she explained. Likewise, she asserted that the countries of the Arab League can be relevant investors through the sovereign investment funds that they each have. This would add to the interest of several of these countries in financing infrastructure projects in provinces of our country.
Also on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly, Mondino met with her counterpart from the Hellenic Republic, George Gerapetritis. They both recalled that this year marks the 150th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, welcomed the historical friendship and solidarity between both countries, and highlighted the ties resulting from the presence of a community of Greek origin in Argentina. They also referred to the views shared by both countries as a basis to promote and foster an even closer bilateral relationship.
The Ministers also addressed different regional and global political issues, including the situation in Venezuela, Ukraine and the Middle East.
Concerning trade and mutual investments, the Foreign Minister highlighted the Argentine government's commitment to creating a business environment favourable to foreign investment, and explained to Gerapetritis that our country offers a predictable and reliable framework for greater Greek investments.
At the end of the day, Mondino held a working meeting with the Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The Ministers conveyed their satisfaction for the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, which is evidence of a friendship built through dialogue and cooperation.
Mondino stated that “Argentina considers the United Arab Emirates to be a key partner” and thanked the continued joint work made to enhance the flow of investments in our country. Both Ministers discussed more opportunities for trade both at the bilateral and the regional levels, especially with MERCOSUR. In addition, they analyzed investment opportunities in renewable energy projects in Argentina and the Argentine Minister gave details about the economic reforms implemented by the Milei administration aiming at greater trade and investment facilitation. The Foreign Minister further stressed that Argentina has enormous capacities in a variety of knowledge-intensive areas, which makes it part of the select group of countries that export high-quality and value-added services.
In the morning, Mondino had participated in an Ibero-American Foreign Ministers’ meeting and a High-Level Meeting on the Situation in Venezuela, which was also attended by Antony Blinken, the Secretary of State of the United States. She had also taken part in the EU-CELAC Summit and had met with the Secretary General of the Cooperation Council of the Arab States of the Gulf, Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi (https://www.cancilleria.gob.ar/en/announcements/news/situation-venezuela...)
