MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Paraguay-Mexico Chamber of Commerce in process of creation

“Paraguay is a country of opportunities,” said Nungaray.

Paraguayan exports to Mexico in the context of the coronavirus pandemic have grown to such an extent that the Paraguay-Mexico Chamber of Commerce is in the process of being created, it was announced on Friday.

The Mexican ambassador in Asunción, Juan Manuel Nungaray, told the media on Friday that “Paraguay took advantage of the covid pandemic and in 2020 registered 80 million dollars in exports of soy derivatives, rice, sesame and chia to Mexico, non-traditional products. Now we are precisely in the process of creating the Paraguay-Mexico Chamber of Commerce”.

Nungaray said in a television interview that the main objective continues to be to strengthen bilateral relations, for which he seeks to reaffirm the work of cooperation in all fields. “In the political sphere, we are seeking greater understanding and better communication in the economic, commercial and cooperation spheres. The cultural sphere is also on the agenda,” the diplomat explained.

He added that “despite the adversities presented by the pandemic, we have been making progress; we have many positive things that can be commented on in the bilateral relationship that we are leading,” the ambassador continued.

Nungaray explained that Paraguay offers innumerable opportunities, an adjective he remarked on several occasions during the interview. “Today the message that, from the Embassy, we are sending to Mexico, because that is how we see it, is that Paraguay is a country of opportunities”.

“Undoubtedly, it is a country that offers opportunities for greater political communication, for greater trade, for greater investment by Mexican companies in the country,” Nungaray stressed.

Mexico and Paraguay are partners in the Community of Latin American and the Caribbean States. The ambassador said that “there is a very good, frank and fruitful political understanding. In terms of trade, we are working to modernise the legal framework governing bilateral trade. There are opportunities to bring more trade from Mexico and to bring trade from Paraguay because the economies are complementary.

The diplomat also explained that ”we are a manufacturing exporting country and here Paraguay is a food-producing and exporting country. We import a lot of food and there are undoubtedly many opportunities here. From here to there and from there to here, that is the message I am giving“.

Regarding grain trade, the diplomat said that ”in 2018 and 2019, before covid-19, the figures were approximately 180 and 200 million dollars, depending on the methodology, but they were in that order,“ the diplomat pointed out. 2019, trade fell for obvious reasons; it was an interesting time because just over 100 million dollars was achieved, but Paraguay greatly increased the export of grain food to our country ”so“ in normal times we will soon be able to return to 200 million dollars and then ... more niche markets,” he emphasised.

Nungaray continued: “There was an increase in volume and not only in exports but also in economic income for Paraguay. Soy, rice, sesame and chia seeds were exported. We are currently in the process of creating the Paraguay-Mexico Chamber of Commerce. We are having several meetings and we already have companies interested. This chamber will be an important factor in promoting business.

”At the same time, we are reorganising the legal framework of the bilateral relationship so that it corresponds to the new opportunities we have here. There is interest from Mexican businessmen in Paraguay because I will not tire of repeating it, it is a country of great opportunities,“ he added.

Concerning bilateral cooperation against covid-19, Nungaraý said the main focus was on vaccines. ”We work to support each other and achieve vaccines for the region, this since the presidency of the Community of Ibero-American and the Caribbean States,“ said the Mexican diplomat. ”Recently, the approval of the Covaxim vaccine was accelerated in Mexico and the information was shared with Paraguay, which allowed us to approve its use in Paraguay and to be able to project a new contract to acquire more vaccines,” he also explained.