MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Peru to assume pro tempore presidency of Pacific Alliance

Mathews also highlighted Peru's performance in terms of export progress

Peru will finally take over the pro tempore presidency of the Pacific Alliance (PA) on Aug. 1, after which progress is expected in trade, tourism, and investments, Foreign Trade Minister Juan Carlos Mathews said Sunday in a TV interview.

Peru should have received the baton earlier, but Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) was reluctant to hand it over to the administration of President Dina Boluarte, who came to power following the Dec. 7, 2022, impeachment of Pedro Castillo Terrones.

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In the meantime, the work agenda was followed bilaterally, with joint investment, tourism, and export promotion actions with Chile, Colombia, and Mexico, Mathews explained. The delay also affected the global value chains regarding non-alliance countries, which is now being corrected, he added.

Asia is a relevant partner for Peru, especially China, and the recovery of this space in the PA allows exploiting this type of opportunity for the Asian market, Mathews pointed out while stressing Peru's diversified trade structure that makes it possible to work with several markets simultaneously. Hence, Peru's performance in terms of export progress, he said.

Mathews also highlighted that Peru will host the 70th World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Commission meeting, which would help his country define niches of opportunities. Three under-exploited niches are being addressed now: meeting tourism, film tourism, and the attraction of digital nomads. Mathews also mentioned that the Council of Ministers is evaluating how to turn Peru into a competitive place for film tourism.