Interviewed by ANSA a few days after completing one year in Mexico, the Italian Ambassador, Alessandro Modiano, highlighted the significant progress in relations between the two countries, characterised by an increase in trade, new economic agreements and a series of visits, meetings and events.
"Last year," he said, "we had the fortunate coincidence of the 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, which created a perfect context for organising initiatives and enhancing them in the right way, with an excellent level of response from the Mexican side.
'From my point of view,' he added, 'the most important events of 2024 were, in chronological order, the visit of Undersecretary for Justice Delmastro at the end of January, which consolidated the basis for a strong alliance in the framework of the fight against organised crime, the inauguration of the Farnesina exhibition with Foreign Undersecretary Silli at the end of February, the visit of the ship Vespucci to Puerto Vallarta in June, and the participation of the Minister of Universities and Research, Anna Maria Bernini, at the inauguration ceremony of the new President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, representing the Italian government'.
"Undersecretary Silli then returned to Mexico City on 28 January, an important mission that made it possible to continue the process of strengthening bilateral political relations with the representatives of the Sheinbaum government and to enhance the work of Italian companies that have invested in Mexico".
In the economic sphere, the ambassador stressed the positive development of Italy-Mexico exchanges in recent years. "I was truly surprised," he said, "by the dynamism of the commercial exchange in this last period, with a very pronounced increase in Italian exports to Mexico - by now firmly the Bel Paese's first market in the entire Latin American context - as well as sales from Mexico to Italy, an important development in the direction of a more balanced commercial relationship between the two countries.
Moreover, according to Modiano, the recently announced conclusion of negotiations on the modernisation of the agreement between Mexico and the European Union is a significant step, with very positive expectations for the future of both parties, despite the political complexities. "As far as the ratification mechanisms in the EU are concerned, the text is divided into three packages and the Council will have to decide whether they can be approved separately or will be considered as a single treaty," he explained.
In the first days of February, an important delegation of the National Research Council, led by its president Carrozza, will visit Mexico City and the state of Guanajuato, a mission that aims to consolidate the already important scientific relations between the two countries, with a particular focus on the fundamental link between scientific research, innovation, and increased productivity of business systems.
"The governor of Guanajuato, the only Mexican state with which we already have a collaboration agreement," concluded the Ambassador, "is very interested in a scientific interaction that is also in favour of the greater efficiency of local businesses: research that aims at productivity and the development of the best technologies.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
