Trade, energy, technology, culture: what to expect at first Russia–Mexico Business Forum

The business programme of the first Russia–Mexico Business Forum, scheduled for 3 April 2025 in Mexico City, is now available. Organized by the Roscongress Foundation’s Roscongress International brand, the Forum will bring together businesspeople, government officials, and members of the expert community from both countries.

 2025 marks 135th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Mexico, in which time the two countries have interacted on a variety of levels, invariably maintaining their respect for one another and aspiring to develop even closer economic ties. Mexico is currently Russia’s second largest trade partner in Latin America, and trade turnover continues to grow steadily.

“I am pleased to note the importance of the Russia–Mexico Business Forum as a response to a growing interest in mutually beneficial cooperation on the part of the business communities in both our countries. In recent years, there has been increasing attention from Mexican companies to opportunities to work with Russia. We are prepared to work with our partners in a variety of spheres, from trade and investment to innovation and culture. This Forum will allow us to engage in open dialogue, exchange ideas, find new opportunities, and strengthen partnership between our countries on the path to developing more effective cooperation,” Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Mexico Nikolay Sofinskiy said.

The Forum will open with the plenary session ‘Trade and Economic Cooperation Between Russia and Mexico: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow’, which will host a discussion of the current state of bilateral trade and key exports and imports. Opportunities for expanding business interaction, barriers to increasing turnover, and ways to strengthen the partnership between Russia and Mexico are also on the agenda.

The Forum programme will focus particular attention on energy cooperation in the panel discussion ‘Russia and Mexico: New Opportunities for Cooperation in Energy and Prospecting’. The economic and technological changes sweeping the globe have created new opportunities for Russia and Mexico to cooperate in the oil and gas sector, nuclear and renewable energy, and exploration and development. Forum participants will consider the outlook for technological exchange and cooperation on investment in the energy sector.

The digital transformation will find itself at the centre of attention in the panel discussion ‘Innovation and Cooperation: Building a Digital Bridge Between Russia and Mexico’. All across the world, digital technologies are actively being introduced into the economy, and e-commerce, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, fintech solutions, and smart cities are developing fast. Russia and Mexico are interested in using digital technologies to make their economies more competitive, and the Forum will explore the potential for cooperation in this area.

Exchanges as part of the ‘Culture and the Humanities in the Dialogue Between Russia and Mexico’ panel discussion will focus on interaction between Russia and Mexico in culture, education, tourism, and sports. In the summer of 2024, Russia and Mexico signed a programme of cooperation in culture, education, and youth policy for 2024–2026, with the Forum an important stage in its implementation.

“Agricultural exports have increased significantly since 2022, with Russian exports to Mexico predicted to reach more than USD 350 million by 2030. Projects in the energy sector are promising, with work currently underway to develop the production and supply of energy resources. Mexico also happens to be one of the world’s largest producers of certified organic coffee – a product that enjoys strong demand on the Russian market. This Forum in Mexico City is an important step in expanding economic contacts, launching new joint projects, and deepening business interaction between the two countries, something we would like to then pick up at SPIEF,” Deputy CEO of the Roscongress Foundation and Director of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum Alexey Valkov said.

Mexicans attending the Forum will also be introduced to the Roscongress Foundation ecosystem and such important discussion platforms as the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum, the Russian Energy Week International Forum, the Eastern Economic Forum, and the Let’s Travel! International Tourism Forum, among other business events.

The Russia–Mexico Business Forum is being held with the support of the Trade Mission of the Russian Federation in the United Mexican States and the National Chamber of the Manufacturing Industry CANACINTRA, with whom an agreement was signed at SPIEF 2024. There are plans to continue the Russian-Mexican business dialogue as part of the programme of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, which will be held on 18–21 June.