Mexico–South Africa relations
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Mexico–South Africa relations refers to the diplomatic relations between Mexico and South Africa. Both nations are members of the G-20 major economies and the United Nations.
Contents
History[edit]
Before 1993, Mexico had refused to recognize the South African government because of the Mexican government's opposition to apartheid. In 1991, Nelson Mandela, head of the African National Congress, visited Mexico thus paving the way for formal diplomatic relations to be established on 26 October 1993. In 1994, both nations established a diplomatic mission in each other's capitals respectively.[1]
In his 1997 book The Big Ten: The Big Emerging Markets and How They Will Change Our Lives (1997), Jeffrey Garten, Dean Emeritus at the Yale School of Management, identified both Mexico and South Africa as Big 10 economies.[2] In early 2000s, growers in the Karoo region of South Africa started to produce Tequila (dubbed Agava for legal reasons) with the agave that is thought to have been imported by Spanish-Portuguese colons more than a century ago, the first country aside from Mexico to produce the famous Mexican alcohol.[3] In 2013, both nations celebrated 20 years of diplomatic relations.
State visits[edit]
Presidential visits from Mexico to South Africa
- President Vicente Fox (2002)
- President Felipe Calderón (2010)
- President Enrique Peña Nieto (2013)
Presidential visits from South Africa to Mexico
- President Thabo Mbeki (2002)
- President Jacob Zuma (2010, 2012)
Bilateral agreements[edit]
Both nations have signed several bilateral agreements such as a General Cooperation Agreement (1998); Agreement on Cultural Cooperation (2004); Technical Cooperation Agreement on Social Development (2006); Memorandum of Understanding between the Chapingo Autonomous University and the University of the Free State (2006); Cooperation Agreement on Species Conservation between the Chapultepec Zoo and the Pretoria Zoo (2007); Memorandum of Understanding for the Establishment of a Mexico-South Africa Bi-national Commission (2009); Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion (2009); Mexico-South Africa Joint Declaration: Towards a Priority Relationship (2010); Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (2010); Memorandum of Understanding for the Establishment of a Mechanism of Consultation in Matters of Mutual Interest (2011); Extradition Treaty (2014); Memorandum of Understanding between ProMéxico and Trade and Investment South Africa (2014) and an Agreement on Cooperation in Tourism (2014).[4]
Trade relations[edit]
In 2017, total trade between the two nations amounted to $460.3 million USD.[5] Mexico's main exports to South Africa include: machinery equipment, automobiles, fotography equipment, and medicine. South Africa's main exports to Mexico include: minerals, iron based products, aeronautical equipment and automobiles.[6] Mexico is South Africa's third biggest trading partner in Latin America and South Africa is Mexico's biggest trading partner in Africa.[7] Mexican multinational companies such as Grupo Bimbo, Gruma and KidZania operate in South Africa.[8]
Resident diplomatic missions[edit]
- Mexico has an embassy in Pretoria.[9]
- South Africa has an embassy in Mexico City.[10]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Bilateral relations between Mexico and South Africa (in Spanish)
- ^ Jeffrey Garten, The Big Emerging Markets and How They Will Change Our Lives, Nytimes.com, 1997
- ^ First tequila from outside Mexico, Today.com, 10 June 2013
- ^ Bilateral Relations between Mexico and South Africa
- ^ Mexican Ministry of the Economy: South Africa (in Spanish)
- ^ Comercio México - Sudáfrica (in Spanish)
- ^ Minister Dlamini Zuma to Hold Discussions with Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs in Cape Town
- ^ Estas son las Empresas Mexicanas Pioneras en África (in Spanish)
- ^ Embassy of Mexico in Pretoria (in English and Spanish)
- ^ Embassy of South Africa in Mexico City
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