
Mercosur foreign ministers will be meeting next March 9 in Buenos Aires in the framework of Argentina's pro tempore chair and following on the Argentine/Brazilian presidents recent meeting when it was decided to give the group a new thrust taking advantage of the new world scenario.

The FAO Food Price Index averaged 173.8 in January, its highest value in almost two years, marking a 2.1% increase from its revised December value and 16.4% above its 2016 January level. The FAO Sugar Price Index surged 9.9% in the month, driven by expectations of protracted supply tightness in Brazil, India and Thailand.

Argentine president Mauricio Macri is scheduled to launch on Thursday the much expected Patagonia Project, a massive ambitious development program for the southern provinces similar to the Belgrano Plan which was recently launched for the northern provinces.

The leaders of Brazil and Argentina said on Tuesday they would pursue closer ties with Mexico and other Latin American nations alarmed by U.S. President Donald Trump's promises to tear apart trade deals and build a wall in the Mexican border to protect American jobs.

British officials and members of Parliament were more understanding and willing to listen to Argentina's claim over the Malvinas Islands according to congress member Margarita Stolbizer who recently visited London and Scotland as part of a delegation of Argentine lawmakers.

Argentina's vice president Gabriela Michetti was unexpectedly greeted by president Donald Trump and held a brief meeting with her peer Mike Pence last week in Washington during the National Prayer Breakfast, a traditional ceremony held in Washington's Hilton. Michetti later shared lunch with members of the State Department Western Hemisphere Desk at the Argentine embassy.

The speaker of the Argentine Senate, Federico Pinedo, described the multi-party lawmakers delegation visit to the UK as “very positive” since issues of the bilateral agenda were addressed, including Argentina's historic claim over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands sovereignty.

The Argentine government is considering the possibility of having Aerolineas Argentinas fly round trips to the Falklands from Trelew or from Comodoro Rivadavia, or alternatively Trelew/Rio Gallegos/Falklands, according to Patagonian Chubut province governor Mario Das Neves.

Brigadier Basilio Lami Dozo, commander of the Argentine Air Force during the South Atlantic conflict died this week at the age of 88. In 1981 he was appointed to the military Junta next to General Leopoldo Galtieri and Admiral Jorge Anaya, and the three were responsible for launching the invasion of the Falkland Islands on 2 April 1982.

Brazil and Argentina will attempt to eliminate trade barriers which limit or impede Mercosur trade, ensuring a free trade space, the sooner the better, revealed Brazilian diplomats in anticipation of the presidential summit next week, when Mauricio Macri is received by Michel Temer in Brasilia.