The purpose of the visit is to strengthen the strategic
relationship and increase the level of understanding and cooperation. It also
seeks to deepen cooperation in dual training, so that high school students can
develop the skills needed by businesses in order to help them enter the
workforce.
Over 15 agreements will be signed to complement the legal framework
on energy, transportation, health, the environment, the financing of new
technologies, SME promotion and cooperation in science and technology.
At a press conference, the Foreign Ministry’s Chief of
Staff, Ana Paola Barbosa, said that the trip has an important economic component.
The President is accompanied by a large group of business executives who are
exploring new ways to increase trade.
President Peña, accompanied by the official Mexican delegation, arrived in Germany on Sunday afternoon and will begin his official activities early Monday morning.
He began by sighing the Distinguished Visitors’ Book at Bellevue Palace, where the official welcome ceremony took place. German President Joachim Gauck hosted the ceremony. The two presidents then met and exchanged gifts.
President Peña and his wife, Angelica Rivera de Peña laid a wreath at the Memorial to the Victims of War and Tyranny and observed a moment of silence as a trumpeter played the "The Good Comrade."
In the afternoon, the Mexican president met with the Governing
Mayor of Berlin, Michael Müller. At the meeting, the President of Mexico signed
the Golden Book of the City of Berlin.
A highlight of the President’s agenda was the inauguration
of the exhibit "The Mayas: Language of Beauty" at the Martin Gropius
Bau Museum to kick off the Mexico-Germany Dual Year.
The second day began with a meeting of German business
executives with interests in Mexico. A joint declaration to establish a
Mexico-Germany energy partnership and a joint declaration on improving business
opportunities by promoting entrepreneurship and advanced training were signed.
At noon, President Enrique Peña Nieto met with Chancellor Angela
Merkel prior to a meeting between the delegations of both countries. After the
meeting, Merkel held a working lunch for the President and his delegation. The
President’s activities in Berlin ended with a press conference where both
leaders expressed the desire of their countries’ for a stronger bilateral
relationship.
The President then met with the Mayor of Hamburg. He will
end his State visit to Germany tomorrow.