SINGAPORE: Singapore will open an embassy in Mexico in 2026 in view of “deepening ties” between the 2 international locations, mentioned President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Monday (Dec 1).
“This can be a vital milestone, as will probably be Singapore’s first embassy within the Spanish-speaking world, and solely our second in Latin America,” mentioned Mr Tharman, who introduced the transfer throughout his first state visit to Mexico. He will probably be there till Wednesday.
“Our determination displays Singapore’s confidence in Mexico’s future, and can enable us to interact with Mexico’s leaders, officers and the enterprise and cultural neighborhood extra actively and deeply,” Mr Tharman added.
Mr Tharman was talking at a joint press convention with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum following a gathering between the 2 leaders in Mexico Metropolis.
Ms Sheinbaum mentioned that the embassy can be the 87th in Mexico and mirrored the rising worldwide curiosity within the nation.
In an announcement on Tuesday, Singapore’s Ministry of Overseas Affairs (MFA) mentioned that the embassy will search to strengthen bilateral financial and people-to-people hyperlinks between Singapore and Mexico, and improve consular help for Singaporeans in Mexico.
Singapore established its first embassy in Latin America in Brazil in 2012.
Mr Tharman’s four-day state go to, which started on Sunday, comes as Singapore and Mexico commemorate 50 years of diplomatic relations.
Throughout their assembly, Mr Tharman and Ms Sheinbaum “affirmed the nice and cozy and pleasant relations” between the 2 international locations, mentioned MFA in its assertion.
Mr Tharman additionally welcomed Ms Sheinbaum’s dedication for Mexico to ratify the Pacific Alliance-Singapore Free Commerce Settlement signed on Jan 26, 2022, added MFA.
The settlement will “additional improve commerce and productive funding for each international locations, and assist strengthen inter-regional connectivity between Southeast Asia and Latin America”, mentioned the ministry.
Moreover, Ms Sheinbaum welcomed Singaporean firms’ curiosity in investing in Mexico in all kinds of sectors lined in Plan Mexico, her nationwide improvement plan for investments within the nation. The sectors embrace expertise, innovation, ports, in addition to oil and gasoline, in response to a joint assertion issued by the governments of Singapore and Mexico.
Each presidents additionally witnessed the signing of two memorandums of understanding on coral reef restoration and on worldwide improvement cooperation, and famous the rising alternatives for collaboration in different areas of mutual curiosity.
Mr Tharman has additionally prolonged an invite for Ms Sheinbaum to make a state go to to Singapore.
