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Awadhoot Pathak
Doha
Mexico aims to double the volume of trade with Qatar in the next financial year by boosting the bilateral relations, said a high-ranking Mexican trade official.
Mexico has already started the journey in this direction with the opening of PROMexico office in Doha in March 2015, he said.
PROMexico works under Ministry of Economy with three main objectives: attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) into Mexico, promoting Mexican companies to engage in business abroad, and facilitating Mexican companies to invest abroad.
Speaking to Qatar Tribune about the current trade scenario of Mexico, Juan Cepeda, ProMexico's Director for the Middle East, said that business relations with Qatar had picked up pace.
"For the first time, Mexico's minister of foreign affairs, along with a 15-member delegation comprising government officials and representatives of private companies, visited Qatar. The whole idea was to diversify Mexico's export business, which had previously been dominated by exports to the US (85 percent), while the remaining 15 percent usually went to countries like Canada, Germany, Spain and Japan."
The efforts for closer commercial ties with Qatar, soon bore results and first Mexican light-weight architecture company Dunn started its operations in the country in 2017 under the umbrella of Qatar Financial Centre.
"Dunn has been assigned the work of roof design and other works of Lusail football stadium in Al Rayyan along with one more stadium in the country,"Cepeda said.
Referring to food exports, Cepeda said Qatar was the first country in the Gulf region to open its market for halal beef from Mexico in 2017.
ProMexico worked with Qatar's Ministry of Municipality and Environment, and succeeded in getting halal beef certification. The first shipment of halal beef was made to Qatar in 2017 by Mexican firm Gusi.
"Today there are around 50 companies, who have got the Halal beef certification and are looking forward for further business opportunities in Qatar,"he added.
Speaking about other Mexican companies that would start their business in Qatar, Cepada said,"Kidzania, a company working in kids' entertainment sector, will open up its outlet at Villagio Mall in September this year, while another company in fashion industry is on the process of entering the Qatari market soon."
Mexico is also eyeing the automotive sector besides the metal mechanics parts.
A number of world-renowned automobile manufacturers have their facilities in Mexico, where they assemble and export their vehicles to other countries, Cepada said, adding,"We are looking forward to export light passenger and heavy vehicles to Qatar and one of the companies has already started its operations."
Noting that the blockade has had a positive impact on trade relations, Cepada said this has provided his country more opportunities to do business in Qatar.
