Sergio Massa hit the foul this Saturday at the signing of three agreements focused on energy and technology with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, one of the leaders of a key power, who warned the importance of “legal certainty” In all countries of the world.
From the government they had announced that he would participate in the meeting, but from within the Minister of Economy they explained that he was absent from this very important meeting, for family reasons official activities, for which Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero ended up signing the agreements.
Before resuming his tour of South America with stops in Chile and Brazil as his next destinations, the representative of the main European power met Alberto Fernández at the San Martín Palace and held a meeting with entrepreneurs from German and Argentine companies. It was in that picture that Massa’s absence attracted attention. “She warned that she had something familiar and sent Rubinstein and Royón,” emphasized by Economy.
Following the meeting, authorities from both countries signed a memorandum of understanding on transitioning to a clean energy system and implementing the Paris Agreement on climate change, along with exploring financing options; a commitment to finance exports to make the Chihuido hydroelectric project feasible for $2,230 million; and a cooperation agreement on startups.
Although the three agreements were in the orbit of the Ministry of Economy, it was Cafiero who signed them. “Massa didn’t go, that’s why Cafiero had to sign them”, official sources confirmed. Replacing him, the Deputy Minister of Economy, Gabriel Rubinstein, attended the meeting where it was agreed to open an office of the German Accelerator, the leading German accelerator for entrepreneurship and startups, at AMBA.
Germany seeks replace the Russian power supply due to the war with Ukraine and Argentina, it tries to offer itself as a supplier of the resource. “The 1st day of intense work has ended. Priority topics: the international situation, economic relations, energy and climate protection. Addressing cooperation in the energy sector and the installation of a German #accelerator at @gcba” , Ambassador Ulrich Sante said via Twitter on Saturday.
The disembarkation of the leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) took place the same week Germany showed ‘concern’ to the United Nations Human Rights Council for the “pressure and intimidation” of judges and “attempts to exert political influence” occurring in Argentina. “Germany in this sense recommends strengthening judicial independence and protecting judges and investigations from pressure and intimidation,” said the German delegation.
This was the response of diplomat Ann-Jasmin Krabatsch in Geneva after hearing the report of the Secretary of Human Rights, Orazio Pietragalla, in which he denounced a “judicial persecution” of Cristina Kirchner. When consulted later, Sholz said he had not spoken to the president on that matter. “We talked about important economic issues,” he explained, but he assured him “It’s important to have legal certainty and that goes for everyone.”
Germany is considered Argentina’s largest trading partner in the European Union, and bilateral trade exceeded $3.6 billion in 2022, an 8% growth over 2021, of which Argentina exported 883 million dollars, up 8% year over year, according to a report from the CAC. Thus, the deficit was US$1,837 million, which reflects a worsening from the negative balance of US$1,716 million in 2021.
Today, more than 170 German companies headquartered in Argentina generate more than 22,000 direct jobs. This is the case of Siemens, SAP, Bayer, Wintershall, Voith Hydro, BMW, Volkswagen and Mercedes Benz, whose directors have in some cases participated in bilateral meetings. “The importance of reaching agreements on natural resources, energy and lithium was highlighted. Also in advancing in the Mercosur – European Union agreement”, underlined by one of the companies.
Source: Clarin
