MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina a reliable partner, German Chancellor says

The war in Ukraine means agrifood and energy opportunities for Argentina, Fernández said

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz Wednesday said Argentina was “a reliable partner” upon welcoming President Alberto Fernández in Berlín on the second stop of the South American leader's new European tour.

During their meeting, both heads of government agreed on the consequences of the war between Russia and Ukraine on the rest of the world, particularly its impact on international food and energy prices.

Fernández insisted on the need to find a solution to the armed conflict and also highlighted the fact that it created opportunities for agrifood-rich South American countries.

Both leaders agreed in a joint statement that it is “absolutely necessary to open a discussion forum where this problem can be solved.”

“War is a problem of major and particular concern to me because of the way in which it is having a negative impact on our continent, where food and energy security are put at risk”, said Fernández.

“This is not a conflict between NATO and Russia, it has transcended those limits and is affecting the whole world,” he added.

“Argentina is today a reservoir of what the world is demanding at present”, since “we are great producers of food and energy,” he also pointed out.

“We have the second [largest] non-conventional gas reserve, [with] which we want to supply the world in the form of liquefied gas, and there we have a great opportunity to work together with Germany,” Fernández underlined.

Scholz expressed his “interest in accompanying German companies in their activities in Argentina to cooperate in overcoming obstacles” and welcomed “the ongoing conversations between the Argentine government and several German companies.”

“Argentina has a huge potential in renewable energies for the production of green hydrogen, which will be a valuable contribution to achieving climate neutrality,” the German Chancellor also noted.

Earlier this week, the Argentine President held meetings in Madrid with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and with King Felipe VI. He is due to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris Thursday.