France and Mexico

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Political relations

Mexico is one of France’s main partners in the Americas region and our relationship is built on extremely solid foundations. Our partnership with Mexico, a major emerging power and regional leader, took on even greater significance following Mexico’s mandate at the United Nations Security Council in 2021-2022 and co-chairmanship of the Generation Equality Forum in 2021. France and Mexico maintain regular bilateral consultations.

French presence

21,000 French nationals registered. The French Embassy and Consulate General are based in Mexico City. There are 18 consular agencies across the country. In 2017, a French Consulate was established in Monterrey.

Visits

  • 10 and 11 April 2014: State visit to Mexico by the President of the French Republic
  • 13 to 16 July 2015: State visit by the Mexican President Mr Enrique Peña Nieto, guest of honour during the 14 July Bastille Day parade
  • 1 and 2 November 2017: visit to Mexico by the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Mr Jean-Yves Le Drian
  • 12 December 2017: participation of Mexican President Mr Enrique Peña Nieto, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Mr Luis Videgaray Caso and Secretary of Environment Mr Rafael Pacchiano Alamán at the One Planet Summit in Paris
  • 25 to 28 November 2018: visit to Mexico by the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Mr Jean-Yves Le Drian
  • 10 to 15 November 2019: visit to France by the Mexican Secretary of Public Education, Mr Esteban Moctezuma Barragán
  • 12 and 13 November 2019: visit to France by the Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs, Ms Martha Delgado Peralta, who took part in the Paris Peace Forum
  • 19 and 20 December 2019: visit to Mexico by the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Mr Jean-Yves Le Drian
  • 30 June and 1 July 2021: visit to France by Mr Marcelo Ebrard, Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs, to attend the Generation Equality Forum
  • 27 September 2021: visit to Mexico City by Ms Barbara Pompili, Minister for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition, for the Bicentenary of Mexican Independence
  • 21 and 22 December 2021: visit to Mexico City and Monterrey by the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Mr Jean-Yves Le Drian
  • 11 and 12 February 2022: visit to Paris and Brest by Mr Marcelo Ebrard, Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs, to attend the One Ocean Summit
  • 24 and 25 November 2022: visit to Mexico City by Ms Anne-Marie Descôtes, Secretary-General of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, for bilateral consultations
  • 22 September 2023: meeting between the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ms Catherine Colonna, and the Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Ms Alicia Bárcena, at the United Nations General Assembly
  • 26 April 2024: visit to Paris by the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Ms María Teresa Mercado Pérez, for bilateral consultations

Economic relations

The French presence in Mexico is significant and promising. Around 550 French companies are established in Mexico, including most of the largest ones (38 CAC 40-listed companies), covering a very broad spectrum of sectors and employing almost 175,000 people. In 2023, France was Mexico’s 14th-largest trading partner.

Trade between France and Mexico, which has been growing steadily since 2009, exceeded €6.6 billion in 2023. In the Central and South America region, Mexico is France’s second-largest trading partner after Brazil, its second-biggest supplier and its highest trade surplus (€697.5 million in 2022).

Cultural, scientific and technical cooperation

Mexico is a crucial partner of our academic and scientific diplomacy in Latin America. The Mexican authorities have shown great interest in French public policy, and we have worked on cooperation programmes in a wide range of areas, such as healthcare, professionalization of the civil service, the justice system, gender equality, etc.

Drawing on more than 700 inter-university agreements and an agreement on mutual recognition of diplomas, France is the world’s fifth most popular destination for Mexican students.

Progress is being made in French-language teaching, based on agreements signed with 12 Mexican states via the work of the French Institute of Latin America (IFAL) based in Mexico City, as well as a network of 32 Alliances Françaises.

The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) has been operating in Mexico since 2009 and has lent a total of €2 billion, particularly for projects to fight climate change and promote social inclusion.

Updated: 12 July 2024

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