Madagascar–Mexico relations

During the Second French intervention in Mexico, France brought vanilla vines from Mexico to Madagascar (and to other locations) to plant which later resulted in Madagascar becoming one of the largest producers of vanilla in the world.[1] In June 1960, Madagascar obtained its independence from France. A year later, in 1961, Mexican President Adolfo López Mateos sent a presidential delegation of goodwill, led by Special Envoy Alejandro Carrillo Marcor and Delegate José Ezequiel Iturriaga, to visit Madagascar and to pave the way for the establishment of diplomatic relations between both nations.[2]

Madagascar and Mexico established diplomatic relations on 26 December 1975.[3] Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, overall relations have been limited between both nations and have taken place primarily in multilateral forums such as the United Nations. In 2005, Ambassador Mauricio de Maria y Campos became the first Mexican non-resident representative to present credentials and be accredited to Madagascar.[4]

In November 2010, Malagasy Minister for the Environment, Herilanto Raveloharison, paid a visit to Mexico to attend the 2010 United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Cancún.[5] In November 2016, a delegation from Mexico led by Special Envoy (and Mexican ambassador to France), Juan Manuel Gómez Robledo and Director General for Europe, Francisco del Río; attended as observers the conference of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie held in Antananarivo.[6][7] In 2016, Mexico opened an honorary consulate in Antananarivo.[8]

High-level visits from Madagascar to Mexico

• Minister of the Environment Herilanto Raveloharison (2010)

High-level visits from Mexico to Madagascar

• Special Envoy Alejandro Carrillo Marcor (1961)
• Delegate José Ezequiel Iturriaga (1961)
• Special Envoy Juan Manuel Gómez Robledo (2016)
• Director General for Europe Francisco del Río (2016)

In 2018, trade between Madagascar and Mexico totaled US$9 million.[9] Madagascar's main exports to Mexico include: ilmenite; merchandise for the promotion of the chemical industry; eugenol and isoeugenol; cinnamon; and unalloyed nickel. Mexico's main exports to Madagascar include: memory units; wafers and waffles; and chewing gum.[3]

• Madagascar is accredited to Mexico from its embassy in Washington, D.C., United States and maintains an honorary consulate in Mexico City.[10]
• Mexico is accredited to Madagascar from its embassy in Pretoria, South Africa and maintains an honorary consulate in Antananarivo.[11]