Egypt–Mexico relations

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Egypt-Mexico relations
Map indicating locations of Egypt and Mexico

Egypt
Mexico

Egypt–Mexico relations refers to the diplomatic relations between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United Mexican States. Both nations are members of the Group of 15, Group of 24 and the United Nations.

History[]

During the Second French intervention in Mexico, Mohamed Sa'id Pasha of Egypt agreed to send Emperor Napoleon III and Auxiliary Battalion of 447 Egyptian-Sudanese soldiers (mostly Sudanese enlisted men with Egyptian officers) to Mexico. At the time, it was thought that soldiers from Africa would "adapt" better to the heat in Mexico than the French.[1][2] In 1867 the surviving 326 soldiers were shipped to France before returning to Egypt.

In 1905, Mexico opened a consulate in the port city of Alexandria to assist Mexican ships which stopped in the city before or after traveling through the Suez Canal. In 1922, Egypt obtained independence from the United Kingdom and diplomatic relations between Egypt and Mexico were established on 31 March 1958. In 1960 both nations opened a resident embassy in each other's capitals, respectively.[3] Since then, relations between both nations have mostly been based on mutual respect and cooperation on international issues at the United Nations. In 1975, Mexican President Luis Echeverría paid an official visit to Egypt and in 1981, President José López Portillo also visited Egypt.[3]

In September 2015 a group of 14 Mexican tourists were mistakenly attacked by Egyptian Security Forces while they were on holiday in Egypt's Western Desert. Egyptian officials said security forces mistook the tourists for terrorists. During the attack, eight Mexican nationals were killed and six were injured. Mexico's government condemned the incident, calling for an exhaustive investigation of the incident. Mexico's Foreign Minister, Claudia Ruiz Massieu, stated that the Mexican government would not sever diplomatic relations with Egypt over the incident.[4]

Both countries regularly provide cultural exhibitions in each other's countries and in 1996, both nations established the Egyptian-Mexican Association for Egyptology.[5] In 2018, both nations celebrated 60 years of diplomatic relations.[6]

High-level Visits[]

High-level visits from Egypt to Mexico[7]

  • Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Boutros Boutros-Ghali (1981, 1984, 1987)
  • Minister of Culture Faruq Hosni (2008)
  • Deputy Foreign Minister Mohamed Orabi (2010)

High-level visits from Mexico to Egypt[8]

Bilateral agreements[]

Both nations have signed several bilateral agreements such as an Agreement on Cultural Exchanges (1960); Trade Agreement (1963); Agreement on Economic Cooperation (1984); Agreement on Cultural, Scientific and Technical Cooperation (1987) and an Agreement on Educational Cooperation (1987).[9]

Trade relations[]

Embassy of Egypt in Mexico City

In 2018, total trade between Egypt and Mexico totaled US$135 million.[10] Egypt's main exports to Mexico include: car parts, cotton and textiles. Mexico's main exports to Egypt include: gas and oil casing tubes, metal cylinders, sesame seeds and alcohol (tequila). Egypt is Mexico's third biggest trading partner in Africa. Mexican multinational companies such as Cemex, Gruma, KidZania, Rotoplas and Sukarne operate in Egypt.

Resident diplomatic missions[]

  • Egypt has an embassy in Mexico City.
  • Mexico has an embassy in Cairo.[11]

See also[]

  • Arab Mexican

References[]

  1. ^ A Sudanese-Egyptian Battalion in Maximilian's Mexico
  2. ^ Louis Napoleon's African Allies
  3. ^ a b Bilateral relations between Mexico and Egypt (in Spanish)
  4. ^ 8 Mexican tourists, mistaken for terrorists, killed in Egypt
  5. ^ Muestra exhibe deidades de México prehispánico y antiguo Egipto (in Spanish)[dead link]
  6. ^ Crean Consejo de Negocios México-Egipto (in Spanish)
  7. ^ Treinta y un años de relaciones diplomáticas entre México y Egipto (in Spanish)
  8. ^ La diversificación de la política exterior mexicana en África (in Spanish)
  9. ^ Treinta y un años de relaciones diplomáticas y ochenta y cuatro años de relaciones consulares entre México y Egipto (in Spanish)
  10. ^ Mexican Ministry of Economy: Egypt (in Spanish)
  11. ^ Embassy of Mexico in Cairo (in Arabic and Spanish)
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