The Diplomat
The relationship that links Argentina and Spain has been reinforced during this month of October with the intense commercial and productive agenda that the Diplomatic Mission, headed by Ambassador Ricardo Alfonsín, has had throughout the Iberian Peninsula, which includes an important cultural and political presence throughout Spain and which, together, seek to improve the living conditions of all Argentines.
At the beginning of October, Ambassador Ricardo Alfonsín travelled to Vigo to participate in Conxemar 2022, one of the most important fishing industry fairs in the world. There, he continued the meetings that had begun in Madrid with officials and businessmen from a sector that exported more than 2 billion dollars in 2021 alone. In Vigo, the embassy and consulate teams provided support to the Argentine fishing companies taking part, and meetings were held with Minister Luis Planas, head of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, with the Argentine Secretary of Fisheries, Carlos Liberman, and with the Governor of the Province of Chubut, Mario Arcioni.
Meanwhile, in Madrid, the embassy accompanied the Argentine delegation to Fruit Attraction, considered to be the most important fair in Europe for the exhibition and sale of fruit and vegetables. Nine companies from the South American country took part. Companies from Tucumán, Jujuy, Buenos Aires, La Rioja, Río Negro, Neuquén, Mendoza and Entre Ríos made up the Argentine stand offering key products for the growth of regional economies (citrus fruits, pears, apples, kiwis, blueberries, among others).
The agenda of visits continued with a round of meetings in the Basque Country. There, Ambassador Alfonsín met with executives from TECNALIA Research & Innovation, the largest technological development centre in Spain that links research, development and innovation with industrial needs. He also visited BTI, the Basque Agency for the Internationalisation of companies, 58 of which have already invested and set up in Argentina, considered a priority and strategic destination. He also held meetings with the Basque Parliament and the President of the Basque Government, Íñigo Urkullu.
Prior to this activity, it participated in the South Summit, in Iberseries & Platinum Industry and in the World Football Summit, as well as specific attention to delegations of Argentine companies, sectors and provinces that seek in Spain the internationalisation of their trade and production, accompanying Argentine companies from sectors as varied as agriculture, knowledge-based services, digital marketing, aerospace and pharmaceutical industries, and sport, among others.
On 20 and 21 October, together with the Argentine Foreign Ministry, the Embassy of Argentina is organising a Trade Mission of companies from the Argentine food sector. The exportable offer of 18 companies in wine, grains, pulses, meat (beef and goat), fish, fresh fruit, citrus and bakery products was presented to Spanish importers identified by the Embassy in a sector that is particularly important with the current price conditions in Europe.
On the other hand, Argentina is the guest country at the second edition of Binómico, the Ibero-American Gastronomic Congress, which will be held in the Spanish city of Huelva from 24 to 26 October with the slogan “We are origin”. The Mayor of Huelva, Gabriel Cruz, said that Argentina will play a decisive role in Binómico “for its influence on the international scene and for a gastronomy that combines boldness and courage with a look at its origins”.
Argentina is also the guest country at the next edition of the Industria Conectada 4.0 National Congress, which will take place in Valencia on 7 and 8 November. This country will be the first from Latin America to be invited to this Congress, which previously invited South Korea and France. Argentina’s participation highlights the value of the Argentinean knowledge-based services industry and the special connection that exists with Spain in this sector.
