Earlier this month, Mexico’s Ambassador to France and Monaco, Blanca Elena Jiménez Cisneros, joined 60 local business leaders from the Principality for a conference spotlighting Mexico’s significant export power and the potential for profitable relationships between the two nations.
On 20th November, 60 businessmen and women with links to the Monaco Economic Board (MEB) were invited to gather at the elegant Castelroc restaurant in Monaco for a ‘Business Destination’ conference hosted by Ambassador Jiménez Cisneros.
The MEB was created in 1999 as a platform to promote the Principality’s economic dynamism through investment opportunities abroad and has since embarked on missions across the globe. This time, however, the meeting came to them, as the Mexican ambassador sought to introduce Monaco-based businesspeople to the economic attractions of her native country.
HIGHLIGHTING MEXICO’S STRENGTHS
During the event, Ambassador Jiménez Cisneros delivered an insightful presentation highlighting Mexico’s advantages for international investors. She outlined the country’s role as a key player in global trade, underscored by its membership in the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). This trade pact grants investors access to the expansive North American market.
This position is further strengthened by Mexico’s status as the ninth-largest global recipient of foreign direct investment, with one-third originating from Europe.
The ambassador also emphasised Mexico’s young, skilled workforce, its modern infrastructure and its strategic location. One major initiative discussed was the Isthmus of Tehuantepec Interoceanic Corridor, a regional project designed to compete with the Panama Canal by connecting the ports of Coatzacoalcos on the Atlantic Coast and Salina Cruz on the Pacific via rail and road networks.
Other noteworthy initiatives include mass solar energy developments, raw material extraction projects, and the highly anticipated Maya Train, a railway line designed to enhance connectivity and economic growth throughout the Yucatan Peninsula.
BRIDGE BUILDING
According to MEB representatives present, the conference ignited discussions among attendees that revealed the potential for collaboration. One particularly intriguing idea involved using Monaco as a gateway to French-speaking Africa to help Mexican companies expand into the region.
This possibility, among other opportunities, inspired MEB Executive General Director Guillaume Rose to propose an economic mission to Mexico sometime in 2025 or 2026.
While the conference primarily focused on economics, it also offered a cultural twist. Mexican-inspired barbajuans—a unique fusion of the local speciality with Latin American flavours—were served as a symbolic gesture of cross-cultural exchange. Created collaboratively by Sexy Tacos, a Mexican-themed restaurant in Monaco, and Castelroc, these culinary innovations highlighted the unexpected ways the two nations can connect.
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Left to right: Justin Highman, Deputy CEO of the MEB; Rodolphe Berlin, Vice-President of Monaco’s Economic, Social and Environmental Council; Blanca Elena Jiménez Cisneros, Ambassador of Mexico to France and Monaco; Guillaume Rose, CEO of the MEB; and Marina De Maere, Honorary Consul of Mexico in Monaco
Photo credit: Sébastien Darrasse / MEB