Faurie speaking at conference on political and economic changes in Latin America at Chatham House.
"Argentina is working hard on its macroeconomic reforms, fiscal deficit reduction and the battle against inflation, building stronger institutions through anti-corruption practices and reinforcing an independent justice system," Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie stated in London, during the first seminar on Latin America at Chatham House (The Royal Institute of International Affairs), where economic, political and social changes in the region were discussed.
Speaking to a full house, Faurie explained that Argentina is negotiating to reach free trade agreements with countries accounting for approximately 50% of global GDP, and expects to conclude them in the next few years. "This has not been easy after a closed economy policy, with restrictions and controls, subsidies and low productivity. And it is still difficult to reach social and political consensus without a majority in Congress," he stated.
However, Faurie regarded the Lower House's approval of the National Budget in the early morning as "a good sign for Argentina's credibility abroad."
"Thanks to this year´s loan agreement with the IMF, we will continue carrying out the economic reforms proposed by President Macri," he added.
Furthermore, the Argentine Foreign Minister briefly reviewed the particular situation currently experienced by some countries in the region, highlighting concern over the crisis in Venezuela and Nicaragua and stressing that "Latin America is not an isolated region and needs to be sensitive to the changes taking place in the world."
The Foreign Minister detailed Argentina's plan on fields such as energy, mining and infrastructure, with the participation of public-private partnership projects (PPPs). Furthermore, he underscored the international relaunch of MERCOSUR and ongoing negotiations of various agreements with different regions and countries.
Faurie stated that Argentina's foreign policy has worked towards "an intelligent and pragmatic insertion, by rebuilding trust and creating economic opportunities," ratifying the need for a global system of fair, balanced and rules-based trade.
The Foreign Minister also thanked for the invitation and stressed the United Kingdom's interest in "strengthening and consolidating relations with Latin America."
During the conference at Chatham House, political and socioeconomic prospects for our region were considered within a context of changes as a result of elections held throughout 2018, and common challenges faced by leaders in the continent.
Press Release No. 430/18
