(Adnkronos) – Bilateral relations, a 15-year-old strategic partnership, trade, culture and cooperation on fighting organised crime are at the centre of foreign ministry Antonio Tajani’s three-day visit to Mexico, which begins on Thursday.
“Mexico is a strategic economic partner for Italy. It is our leading export market in Latin America, also thanks to the significant presence of Italian businesses in the country, with a very dynamic trade exchange which in 2024 exceeded 8 billion euros,” said Tajani in a statement.
During the first visit to Mexico by an Italian foreign minister in a decade, Tajani will meet with local authorities, members of the business community, representatives of the Italian expatriate community, and take part in the Italy-Mexico Business Forum, the statement noted.
“The Italy-Mexico Business Forum marks a new stage in the implementation of the Export Action Plan, which aims to further strengthen already excellent bilateral relations through the development of key industrial sectors such as the automotive industry, the green economy, physical and digital infrastructure, and food production and processing,” Tajani continued.
While in Mexico, Tajani will hold talks with the country’s foreign, economy, interior, security and tourism ministers. During the talks, they will take stock of bilateral ties between the two countries, within the framework of the Strategic Partnership launched in 2012, according to the statement.
Tajani’s visit will also provide an opportunity to deepen cooperation between Italy and Mexico in combating organised crime and mafia networks, the statement underlined.
Cultural promotion will also be a central theme of Tajani’s visit. It will be addressed during an event on the fight against illicit trafficking of cultural heritage, a keynote address at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, and the inauguration of an exhibition by Gabriele Basilico, according to the statement.
Tajani will also visit an exhibition dedicated to the work of Italy’s first female photojournalist, Letizia Battaglia on Friday – the anniversary of the Capaci massacre (when the Sicilian mafia murdered magistrate Giovanni Falcone, his wife and three police bodyguards in a bomb attack on the outskirts of Palermo on 23 May 1992).
“Italy and Mexico are both cultural powerhouses, united in the belief that cultural heritage is an integral part of national identity – a principle reflected in both our Constitutions – and one that must be properly promoted, safeguarded and protected,” said Tajani.
