ADDIS ABABA – Mexican Ambassador to Ethiopia Alejandro Ives Estivill Castro expressed his country’s aspiration for consolidated political, economic and cultural ties with Ethiopia.
In an exclusive interview with The Ethiopian Herald, the Ambassador announced that Mexico is keen to enjoy advanced political, economic and cultural relations with Ethiopia as mutual cooperation between the two is progressing well.
Ambassador Estivill, who is also Permanent Observer to AU, noted that his country is committed to bolster the longstanding bilateral relations with Ethiopia cooperating with the east African country in diaspora management, free trade, aviation, artistic development among others. The two countries have an excellent political relationship and Ethiopians in Mexico are well accepted for the recognition of the east African country as a pride of black freedom all over the world, he expressed.
Ethiopia could draw lesson from Mexico about the mobilization of Diasporas for national development, he said, adding that the country has more potential to bring change with active participation of its citizens living abroad.
The Ambassador believed that the two nations can also cooperate in increasing the productivity of wheat, cactus and maize under the framework of the South-South cooperation.
Speaking on the advantages of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Ambassador Estivill stated that Mexico has a good experience about free trade working with one of the biggest economic powers in the world – the United States.
Mexico has been through free trade for almost 30 years in the region building a lot of expertise in the sphere in cognizant of the fact that it requires wise management so that Ethiopia could learn about that, he mentioned.
Mentioning that the Ethiopian Airlines is already traveling to a New Mexican airport, Estivill said, “If we can have this process of a good carrier that help us to bring things from one side to the other, we are going to see an important growth in the bilateral trade.”
On the other hand, the cultural industries in Ethiopia are developing through time and the country has so much to offer. Ethiopia has good music that puts together the traditional elements with modern ones. So that’s the kind of industry that Ethiopia and Mexico need to foster, according to the Ambassador.
BY STAFF REPORTER
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 18 MAY 2024
