TÁNAISTE Micheál Martin has opened Ireland’s newest Embassy while on a five-day visit to Mexico and Colombia.
Arriving in Mexico yesterday, Mr Martin, who is Ireland’s Minister for Defence and for Foreign Affairs, enjoyed a series of engagements.
He met with Laura González Hernández, Minister for Economic Development for Mexico State as well as Alicia Bárcena, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mexico.
Mr Matin met with Laura González Hernández, Minister for Economic Development for Mexico State (Pics: DFA)He went on to formally launch a new Irish Embassy in Mexico City, which he branded “the new home of Ireland in Mexico” and inaugurated Ireland’s new Office for Central America which is housed within the Embassy.
Speaking after the opening ceremony, Mr Martin said he was “pleased to officially open the new home of Ireland in Mexico, our new Irish Embassy and Office for Central America”.
He claimed it was an “exciting opportunity to promote our shared values, trade, cultural and educational cooperation”.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin opens Ireland’s newest Embassy in Mexico CityElsewhere in Mexico yesterday, the Tánaiste met with Irish companies which have invested in the nation, including the global packaging firm Smurfit Kappa.
Founded in Dublin in 1934, the firm has had a presence in Mexico since 1957 and in the past five years has invested over $350million in its operations there.
Mr Martin visited the Smurfit Kappa Community Centre which supports children in the local area, where he said he received a “warm welcome”.
“Enjoyed meeting some of the children benefitting from the wonderful sport and education facilities,” he said following the visit.
He also toured Smurfitt Kappa's commercial operations, which he described as “truly impressive, employing 7,800 workers in Mexico alone”.
Mr Martin toured the Smurfitt Kappa site in MexicoToday Mr Martin, who last visited Mexico in 2009 as Ireland's Foreign Minister, is set to join members of the Irish community in Mexico City to honour the memory of the Saint Patrick’s Battalion (Batallón de San Patricio) - a group of mostly Irish soldiers who fought as part of the Mexican army in the 1840s.
"Next year marks 50 years since the formal establishment of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Mexico, although our connections go much further back," he said ahead of the event.
"These links include Irishmen who fought alongside the Mexican Army in the 1840s, and I will attend, along with members of the Irish community, a ceremony to honour their memory...andcommemorate the actions of the Saint Patrick’s Battalion.”
Tomorrow he will travel to Colombia to carry out a number of high-level political meetings, including with Minister of Defence, Iván Velásquez, and Deputy Foreign Minister, Francisco Coy.
“Those discussions will focus on major themes in the bilateral relationship, including Ireland’s longstanding strong support to the Colombian peace process, and on global issues,” his office has confirmed.
Speaking ahead of his Colombian engagements, the Tánaiste said: “Ireland has longstanding links with Colombia, including the contribution of Cork-born General Daniel Florence O’Leary to the achievement of Colombian independence.
“Today, and particularly since the opening of Ireland’s Embassy in Bogota in 2019, there is an increasingly strong bilateral relationship including considerable Irish investment,” he added.
“While in Bogota, I will meet with senior members of the Colombian Government, including for discussions on Ireland’s continued support to Colombian efforts to consolidate its peace process.
“This has taken on a new emphasis in recent months since Ireland accepted an invitation from the Colombian Government to become one of the guarantors in its ongoing peace dialogues.”
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