Europe's ties with Mexico under spotlight - 08/02/2012

EU and Mexico flags © EUEU and Mexico flags © EU

Continuing a visit to Latin America, High Representative Catherine Ashton is in Mexico from 8 to 10 February for meetings with the Mexican president and foreign affairs minister.

Mexico is an important strategic partner for the EU and an influential player on the global stage and no more so than in 2012 – the year of Mexico’s G20 Presidency.

Talks will focus on current major international issues, notably the Middle East, the Arab Spring and Iran, on the state of the global economy and on human rights. The issue of security in Mexico in particular EU’s support for – and solidarity with – Mexico's in its fight against organised crime will also feature in the talks.

June’s G20 summit in Mexico will be another of the items on HR Ashton’s meeting agenda. Discussions are likely to touch upon both EU and Mexican priorities for the summit, as well as the first G20 foreign ministers’ meeting, taking place in Los Cabos, Mexico, on 19-20 February.

Climate change is one of the key areas in which the EU and Mexico collaborate very closely. Mexico hosted the 2010 climate conference in Cancun and can be considered a leader in international negotiations on fighting climate change. HR Ashton will therefore be eager to see the EU and Mexico working together to achieve a successful implementation of the decisions taken in Durban last year.

While in Mexico, HR Ashton will also meet representatives from EU embassies in Mexico, where she will present her vision of the EEAS and EU-Mexico relations. A total of 21 EU countries have embassies in Mexico, and working relations with the EU Delegation there are excellent.

HR Ashton will deliver a speech at Mexico City University (UNAM, the largest in Latin America) on the role of the EU in the world.

She will also meet the nine-year-old winner of an EU children's drawing competition on gender equality.. Seven winners have been selected from over 40 000 children participating worldwide – each representing a different region of the world. The winners receive €1 000 each to spend on their education.