Finland–Mexico relations

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Finland-Mexico relations
Map indicating locations of Finland and Mexico

Finland
Mexico

Finland-Mexico relations are diplomatic relations between Finland and Mexico. Both nations are members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the United Nations.

History[]

On 13 July 1920, Mexico recognized the independence of Finland from Russia. On 2 October 1936, Finland and Mexico signed a Treaty of Friendship in Washington, D.C., United States which officially established diplomatic relations between both nations. In December 1939, during the Winter War, Mexican President Lázaro Cárdenas sent a message of solidarity to the Finnish people.[1]

In 1949, a few years after the end of World War II, Finland and Mexico formally accredited ambassadors to each other's nations, respectively. The first Mexican embassy accredited to Finland was based in Stockholm, Sweden with Gilberto Bosques Saldívar becoming the first Mexican Ambassador accredited to Finland.[2] The first Finnish embassy accredited to Mexico was based in Washington, D.C. In 1964, resident embassies were established in each other's capitals, respectively.[1] In February 1999, President Martti Ahtisaari became the first Finnish head-of-state to pay a visit to Mexico. In October 2016, Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipilä paid an official visit to Mexico and met with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto. During the meeting, the leaders highlighted the excellent state of bilateral political dialogue and the importance of President Sauli Niinistö's state visit to Mexico in May 2015 to give a renewed impetus to the ties between Mexico and Finland.[3]

In 2016, both nations celebrated 80 years of diplomatic relations and announced direct flights between Helsinki and Puerto Vallarta with Finnair which commenced in November 2017.[4]

High-level visits[]

Finnish President Sauli Niinistö on a visit to Mexico City, along with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto; May 2015.

High-level visits from Finland to Mexico[5][6][7][8]

High-level visits from Mexico to Finland

  • Foreign Undersecretary Carlos de Icaza (2014)
  • Foreign Minister José Antonio Meade (2015)
  • Director General for Europe Bernardo Aguilar Calvo (2021)

Bilateral agreements[]

Both nations have signed several bilateral agreements such as an Agreement on Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation (1975); Agreement on Inter-cultural Exchanges (1983); Agreement on the Avoidance of Double-Taxation (1999); Agreement on the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments (2000); Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Forest Preservation (2011); Memorandum of Understanding in Water Management Cooperation (2011); Memorandum of Understanding between the Viikki Tropical Resources Institute (VITRI) of the University of Helsinki and the Mexican National Forestry Commission (CONAFOR) (2015); Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Export Credit between Finnvera of Finland and Bancomext of Mexico (2015) and a Memorandum of Understanding between FINPRO and ProMéxico (2015).[9][10][11]

Tourism and Transportation[]

In 2015, 14,000 Finnish citizens visited Mexico for touristic purposes.[12] There are direct flights between Finland and Mexico with the following airlines: Finnair and TUI Airways.

Trade[]

Building hosting the Embassy of Finland in Mexico City

In 1997, Mexico signed a Free Trade Agreement with the European Union (which includes Finland). Since the implementation of the free trade agreement in 2000, trade between the two nations has increased dramatically. In 2018, two-way trade between Mexico and Finland was US$715 million.[13] Between 1999 and 2012, Finnish companies invested over US$676 million in Mexico. Finland is Mexico fifteenth most important trading partner within the EU.[14] Finland's main exports to Mexico include: Machinery and transport equipment and manufactured products. Mexico's main exports to Finland include: Machinery and transport equipment; chemicals and related products; food and beverages.[15] Mexican multinational companies Cemex and Mexichem operate in Finland.[15]

Resident diplomatic missions[]

  • Finland has an embassy in Mexico City.[16]
  • Mexico has an embassy in Helsinki.[17]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b History of diplomatic relations between Mexico and Finland (in Spanish)
  2. ^ Bilateral relations between Mexico and Finland (in Spanish)
  3. ^ President Peña Nieto met with Prime Minister of Finland Juha Sipilä
  4. ^ First Non-Charter Nordic - Mexico Flight Launches in November
  5. ^ "Visita de Estado del Presidente de la República de Finlandia (in Spanish)". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-07-09.
  6. ^ "President Tarja Halonen attends the Monterrey Consensus in Monterrey, Mexico; 2002. (in Spanish)". Archived from the original on 2016-06-03. Retrieved 2015-05-29.
  7. ^ Peña Nieto recibe al presidente de Finlandia (in Spanish)
  8. ^ Peña Nieto se reúne con Primer Ministro de Finlandia (in Spanish)
  9. ^ Agreement between Mexico and Finland on Inter-Cultural Exchanges (in Spanish)
  10. ^ Senado de Mexico: Finlandia (in Spanish)
  11. ^ México y Finlandia: consolidando la relación en el siglo XXI (in Spanish)
  12. ^ México y Finlandia: 80 años de fructífera relación con dinamismo (in Spanish)
  13. ^ Mexican Ministry of the Economy: Finland (in Spanish)
  14. ^ Trade between Mexico and Finland (in Spanish)
  15. ^ a b Mexico in the North
  16. ^ Embassy of Finland in Mexico City (in Finnish, Spanish and Swedish)
  17. ^ Embassy of Mexico in Helsinki (in English and Spanish)
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