- Mexico and South Africa hold their third meeting to consult on matters of mutual interest and issue a joint statement to mark the 30th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.
Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Carmen Moreno and the South African Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Alvin Botes, met today in Mexico City to co-chair the third meeting for consultations on matters of mutual interest and to take stock of the relationship and its prospects.
After the meeting, the governments of Mexico and South Africa issued a joint statement (available here) in which they reaffirmed the importance of the bilateral relationship and pledged to relaunch their cooperation agenda in this post-pandemic era in order to reach the political, economic and collaborative potential that a relationship between two countries such as Mexico and South Africa, both so important to the Global South, should have.
The two senior officials agreed on the importance of holding a third ministerial meeting of the Binational Commission, prior to which the different subcommittees will meet to identify priority areas for collaboration and to follow up on the actions in progress. They also agreed to promote, within their own countries, the conclusion of the agreements under negotiation in tourism, veterinary and customs matters, which will strengthen the framework of mutual cooperation.
Undersecretary Moreno and Deputy Minister Botes reviewed various issues on the global and regional agenda, and they reiterated their positions on nuclear disarmament, the peaceful settlement of disputes, respect for international law, sustainable development, equality for all people and inclusive economic growth.
Mexico and South Africa established diplomatic relations on October 27, 1993, when the apartheid system began to be dismantled. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the start of relations between the two countries. Regular consultations on matters of mutual interest began in 2001, and two meetings have been held between the deputy ministers of both countries: in 2007 (Mexico) and in 2019 (South Africa). In 2022, South Africa was Mexico's top African trading partner, and ranked 48th worldwide. South Africa is the 2nd largest economy in Africa as measured by GDP, and the most diversified, as witnessed by its sophisticated industrial sectors.
