- Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Julián Ventura began a visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia today.
Undersecretary Ventura met with the vice president of the African Union Commission (AUC), Quartey Thomas Kwesi, and other senior officials. The African Union (AU) plays a key role in the processes of political, social and economic integration on the continent, and in promoting the interests and priorities of its 55 member states around the globe. Mexico has been a Permanent Observer of the AU since 2005, and the Mexican embassy in Ethiopia has been in charge of the relationship since its opening in 2007.
During the meeting, Mexico reaffirmed its interest in expanding and deepening its dialogue with the AU and its members, in line with its commitment to multilateralism and to strengthening a rules-based international system. The officials discussed areas of agreement and possibilities for collaboration on key global issues such as climate change, human rights, gender equality, migration, sustainable development and the fight against corruption. Related to Mexico's candidacy to the United Nations Security Council for the 2021-2022 period, the undersecretary highlighted the country's commitment to promoting international peace and security, and he stressed the importance of hearing and assessing the African agenda for preventing conflicts and achieving sustainable peace.
The AU officials mentioned the progress made in establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Undersecretary Ventura said Mexico was willing to promote a technical dialogue and exchange best practices based on its related experiences, and to discuss the successful initiatives of this type in which it participates, such as the Pacific Alliance.
The undersecretary visited the corporate and cargo headquarters of Ethiopian Airlines Group, where he met with the management team. The company formally announced the weekly cargo flight that already links Addis Ababa to Mexico City. This service opens areas of opportunity for Mexican exporters, part of the Mexican government's global strategy.
During the undersecretary's visit, a meeting was held with the Latin American heads of mission in Ethiopia to exchange views on the bilateral and multilateral ties between the two regions, given that Mexico will become the president pro tempore of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in 2020.
Mexico has eight embassies in Africa: Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa. The undersecretary's visit is part of Mexico's efforts to establish closer political and economic ties and greater cooperation with the continent. As part of this approach, Secretary Marcelo Ebrard visited Morocco last December during the Intergovernmental Conference on the Global Compact for Migration, and in May he received a visit from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ivory Coast, Marcel Amon-Tanoh. The Undersecretary of Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights, Martha Delgado, visited Kenya in May, during the 1st UN-Habitat Assembly. Undersecretary Ventura made bilateral visits to South Africa and Ghana in August.
