Merkel and Macri underscore multilateral ties ahead of G-20

Global Business

Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to Latin America is billed as an effort to gain support against growing protectionism. On Friday she’ll be in Mexico, but first, Merkel met with Argentine President Mauricio Macri, in Buenos Aires.

CGTN’s Joel Richards reports.

After recent terror attacks in Europe, there was increased security for the official visit of Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel during which the focus would be on securing regional support for key international agreements.

This was Chancellor Merkel’s first visit to Argentina. On the agenda, talks over the forthcoming G-20 summit to be held in Hamburg in July, but also preparations for next year’s G-20 summit which will be held here in Buenos Aires.

Merkel met with President Mauricio Macri – then held a joint press conference in which both leaders underlined their commitment to multilateral relations.

“No one country, nor one person alone is able to resolve the problems. We must all cooperate and we both work for a world that is free and open,” Merkel said.

According to Macri, “The process of isolationism in Argentina only deepened poverty, we want intelligent integration with the world and we hope to take our experience to international forums including the G-20 summit.”

Macri also reiterated Argentina’s commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement and both leaders spoke of how this country offers vast potential in the renewable energy sector.

Germany is Argentina’s fourth largest trading partner after Brazil, China and the United States. There are hopes that this meeting will add political weight to trade negotiations between the South American economic bloc Mercosur and the European Union. Merkel said the EU would have to compromise in order to reach an agreement that would benefit both sides.

Hopes are that an agreement will be reached by the end of the year, when Argentina hosts a World Trade Organization meeting in December.