"Czechia and Argentina share the same democratic principles and values, similar culture and European origin, and we benefit from extensive trade and investment cooperation. Argentina is the Czechia'straditional trading partner in Latin America. Deepening economic cooperation, investment activities, tourism and strengthening cultural, academic and scientific cooperation is more important than ever,"Minister Lipavský said. This was the first visit of a Czech Foreign Minister to the country in more than 13 years.

In two days, Jan Lipavský met with representatives of several Argentine ministries. On Thursday, after a meeting with Foreign Minister Diana Mondino, Lipavskýalso met with Minister of Defence Luis Petri. With both of them he discussed not only common values but also specific business opportunities.

The second day of the visit started with a visit to the Parliament of Buenos Aires, where Jan Lipavský was appointed an honorary guest of the city. This was followed by a visit to the President of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Argentine Congress, Fernando Iglesias. "Prosperity and security go hand in hand - and this applies to both Czechia and Argentina," the Czech diplomatic chief added after the meeting. At the end of the programme, Minister Lipavský met with Argentine Minister of Security Patricia Bullrich.

In addition to the development of political and economic relations, it is essential for Czechia to support Czechs living abroad, and Argentina is one of the countries with the largest expatriate community in South America - approximately fifty thousand Argentineans have Czech citizenship. Minister Lipavský therefore met with representatives of compatriot associations not only from Argentina, but also from Paraguay and Uruguay at the Czech Embassy in Buenos Aires and emphasized their importance in maintaining and strengthening the Czech legacy.

"This year marks the 100th anniversary of the establishment of mutual relations. The Czech Embassy in Buenos Aires, together with its Argentine partners, organised a series of commemorative events. We are currently preparing an exhibition to commemorate this anniversary, which will take place in May during the Ibero-American Week in Prague," Lipavský concluded.

Date of issue: 12 April 2024