By Mark Kent (*) - The following piece was written in support of The Buenos Aires Herald 140th anniversary, 15 September 1876/2016.
The United States Export-Import Bank said it would begin offering financing in Argentina for the first time since the country's economic meltdown in 2001 and 2002. In previous decades the bank provided low-rate loans to support local investment, including the construction of one of the main highways leading into this city.
German industrial conglomerate Siemens AG signed a letter of intent on Wednesday to participate in up to US$5.6 billion of energy, transportation and infrastructure projects in Argentina, Chief Executive Joe Kaeser said.
British Petroleum is looking to increase its investments in Argentina after seeing “tremendous change” in the country since President Mauricio Macri took office nine months ago, CEO Bob Dudley said on “Bloomberg Markets” this week. Argentina just “feels different,” Dudley told Bloomberg's Erik Schatzker at the inaugural Argentina Business Investment Forum in Buenos Aires.
The Falkland Islands Government (FIG) welcomed the UK/Argentina future cooperation agreement to remove all obstacles limiting the economic growth and development of the Falkland Islands and points out it will be represented at future discussions on these matters, the removal of sanctions on hydrocarbons, fisheries, shipping and tourism, and underlines that sovereignty of the Falkland Islands will not be part of these discussions.
The Falkland Islands Government (FIG) has welcomed the agreement made between the Argentine and United Kingdom Governments, laid out under this morning’s joint statement. Speaking to the media, Members of the Falkland’s Legislative Assembly stated they “looked forward to a better relationship with Argentina”, especially in the areas of hydrocarbons, fisheries, shipping and tourism.
The chapter on the South Atlantic establishes that the 1989 formula on sovereignty of the Falklands will not be affected and that the appropriate measures will be taken to remove all obstacles limiting the economic growth and sustainable development of the Islands
The Minister of State for Europe and the Americas, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Sir Alan Duncan, visited Argentina on 12 and 13 September. The principal reason for the visit was to enhance bilateral consultations with the Argentine Foreign Ministry and attend the Business and Investment Forum organised by the Argentine Government.
The British Government and the Government of Argentina have agreed to an improved relationship through closer co-operation on areas of mutual interest, including on trade, security and the South Atlantic. A UK-Argentine joint statement has been agreed and released on Tuesday 13 September, following a series of high level meetings in Buenos Aires with Sir Alan Duncan - the first Foreign Office Minister to visit Argentina since 2009.
Argentine president Mauricio Macri described as a “gesture” the attendance of Foreign Office minister Alan Duncan at the Business and Investment forum in Buenos Aires, and anticipated that UK and Argentina are preparing a bilateral meeting next week in New York on the sidelines of the annual UN general assembly to address all issues including Falklands/Malvinas.