Mexico’s economy minister predicts closer Irish ties

Changes in Mexican exploration laws to open up opportunities for Irish resource companies, says minister

Mexico’s minister for the economy has said he believes Latin America’s second-largest economy could provide a platform for Irish technology firms to expand into the region.

Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal, who was here to attending the Mexico-Dublin business conference, also said that changes in his country’s exploration laws would open up opportunities for Irish resource companies.

“We can be a very natural partner as a support base for Ireland to use Mexico to enter into the North American and South American markets and for Mexico in turn to really take advantage of Ireland as a gateway to the European markets,” Mr Villarreal said.

“Mexico is very well positioned in the IT sector, thanks to our closeness to North America and how things are being developed in Silicon Valley,” he said.

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He said Dublin and Guadalajara were already sister cities and it made sense for the thriving technology hubs to team up. “There are a lot of experiences . . . that we can share and learn from. We are highly interested [in bringing Irish technology firms to Mexico],” he said.

Mr Villarreal said Mexico also hoped to work with Irish business in agriculture. “We are in need of technological transfers in this field to really improve things,” he said.