Turkey’s footprint in Mexico is growing as the two countries continue to increase their cooperation and ties in several areas, with still more potential ahead, Turkey’s Ambassador to Mexico Tahsin Timur Söylemez said.

"Our bilateral relations with Mexico are on an excellent level. We have great dialogue in terms of politics as well as cooperation, especially within international institutions such as the U.N., G-20 and MIKTA," Söylemez said referring to an inter-regional informal consultation platform between Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey and Australia.

In an exclusive interview with Daily Sabah, Söylemez elaborated that Turkey and Mexico support each other’s candidacies within these institutions while cooperating on several vital issues, including migration, climate change and security. The two countries have no problems, he said.

Speaking on bilateral economic ties, Söylemez, who has been serving in Mexico for 4 1/2 years, emphasized that the relations are highly active.

"In the past few years, we have gained significant momentum. Mexico is our greatest export market in Latin America – this is a fact not widely recognized in Turkey," the envoy underlined, saying that huge opportunities await exporters in Mexico, which has to be further encouraged.

"Mexico is not only a market of 125 million – far bigger than Turkey – but an economy of trillions of dollars and at the same time part of NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement). Therefore, it is possible for our exporters also to sell products to the U.S. through Mexico," Söylemez elaborated. Indicating that several exporter countries are investing in Mexico, he said that these sell their products from Mexico to the U.S. and the wider region.

Mexico is prospering rapidly, he added, highlighting that there is no security problem in the country for companies. "Almost all big exporter countries and companies are here; thus we must grasp this potential as well."

"In 2019, Turkish Airlines started direct flights, this had been a significant gap in relations. It started with two flights a week while currently there are flights daily and in November, these are expected to be raised to 11 and there are even plans to organize two flights a day in 2023."

The bilateral trade volume between Mexico and Turkey has grown close to $2 billion (TL 30.97 billion) – a record figure – the envoy explained, and pointed out that Turkish companies have also started to take part in big projects of strategic value in Mexico as well as prestigious projects of the Mexican government.

Turkey, Mexico eye FTA

"In bilateral ties, there are great opportunities, especially in the field of trade. Within this scope, we want to sign a free trade agreement with Mexico. This has been on our agenda for quite some time," Söylemez pointed out and said that the process gained momentum with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to the country in 2015, followed by Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu’s visits in 2017 and 2019.

Detailing the FTA process, Söylemez said that the two countries are deadlocked on specific subjects. "Overcoming these problems goes through high-level engagement. Due to the customs union, since Mexico has an FTA with the EU, it causes problems in trade. Mexico, thanks to its customs union, can sell products to Turkey through the EU; however, Turkey cannot sell products to Mexico in the same manner. We have to bring again momentum to the process."

Söylemez said that Turkey tries to keep the FTA process on the agenda and elaborated that the two countries not only have potential bilaterally but also within global supply chains.

"Within this framework, it is also on our agenda to hold a Joint Economic Commission."

The ambassador said that Turkey’s trade minister is planning a visit to Mexico this year with a large business delegation that could also see the organizing of a Turkish products fair.

"We want to see what practical steps we can further take while the FTA process is waiting on one side."

Tourism is another significant area of cooperation, he added, saying that Turkish Airlines is facilitating the process. "Since Turkish Airlines is a connecting airline, travel not only occurs between Turkey and Mexico but also between the two different regions."

Interest in defense industry

There is also interest in Turkey’s defense industry, Söylemez highlighted, saying that the ministry is investing energy into keeping this interest alive and enhancing it. He mentioned that Turkish companies have been gaining tenders and offering Mexicans new and interesting opportunities. Lastly, there has been cooperation on a software program, he said.

"This is a market in which we are not naturally known. We have to explain our brand value and the comparative superiority of our products in an active manner. This is not possible from afar. We have to come, attend fairs and display our products," Söylemez underlined, indicating that the advantages of not only quality but also price must be shown.

"We have to enter the competition and make ourselves a place here, the rest will come. Once we enter the Mexican market, we will not only have entered North America but also the Latin American market.

Turkey’s defense industry has been a focal point on the international stage in recent years with exports of defense industry projects currently being made to 170 countries. Turkish armored vehicles and drones are especially in the spotlight, being preferred by ever more countries.

Two close cultures

Söylemez also said that Turkish institutions such as the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) and the Yunus Emre Institute are active in the country with several projects ranging from small-scale, quick-impact projects to half a million dollar projects.

"Soon, we will open the Yunus Emre Turkish Culture Center in Mexico. We expect Mexico’s culture minister to attend. This is a significant step in advancing our cultural relations, especially in presenting more details about our culture, from Turkish coffee, Turkish cuisine to Turkish literature, art and cinema. Our embassy is gradually growing as is Turkey’s footprint here."

The ambassador highlighted that there is a positive perception toward Turkish people while Turkish series are similarly gaining popularity. "We have to build upon this."

"There is a difference in language, distance and time difference but these should not be obstacles – this is one of the world’s biggest countries. With its people, nature and culture Mexico, like Turkey, is a global brand. We have to perceive Mexico as a close heartfelt place despite the physical distance," Söylemez said, describing the two countries as "like twins separated during birth."

The two countries are similar in many ways, including their level of development, the challenges they face as well as cultural and historical depth, he said and added that just as Turkey is a bridge between Europe and Asia, Mexico is a bridge between North and Latin America.