In the face of increased geopolitical risks and a more complex environment, more alliances are needed worldwide, emphasized Laurent Saint-Martin, Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and French Citizens Abroad, at an event held in Mexico.
“If we don’t take over the market, which is ours, someone else will. In such a complex environment to navigate, we need to expand alliances; we need trustworthy and lasting friendships, hence the friendship with Mexico, Latin America, and the Caribbean,” he said at the Forum of the Americas 2025.
During his visit to Mexico, Saint-Martin will meet with Mexican authorities to discuss the state of bilateral relations, as well as with representatives of the business communities of both countries.
“The new world order entails unprecedented changes; there are recent trade tensions over tariffs. There are already more geopolitical risks, and trade is becoming an economic and political weapon, a means of pressure or negotiation,” he added at the event.
The Forum of the Americas of Foreign Trade Advisors is being held for the first time in Mexico, with the presence of 550 French foreign trade advisors from the Americas.
Without naming any names, Saint-Martin questioned whether the rule of law has been called into question by the very actors who helped develop it.
Globally, France ranked as the sixth-largest importer of goods in 2024, with $742.9 billion, and the seventh-largest exporter, with $626.2 billion, according to data from the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Saint-Martin explained that Latin America is a strategic region for France, considering it a fundamental part of the diversification of global supply chains.
In its bilateral trade with Mexico, France exported goods worth $4.127 billion in 2024, while its imports totaled $3.045 billion.
“Mexico is an extraordinary country that embraces many of the challenges of the American continent… France has a long-standing relationship with Mexico, and we are ready to strengthen our presence within the framework of a relationship that respects its sovereignty,” said Delphine Borione, French ambassador to Mexico.
Source: eleconomista
