Ambassador to Mexico

Today I announce the appointment of Mr Remo Moretta as Australia’s next Ambassador to Mexico. Mr Moretta will also be accredited to Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.

Australia and Mexico have a strong and growing relationship, and share common interests in a stable and prosperous Pacific region. Mexico is one of Australia’s largest trading partners in Latin America, with two-way trade totalling $3.7 billion in 2018.

Our trade and investment relationship will expand further with implementation of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership. Mexico is a popular destination for Australian travellers; around 80,000 Australians visited Mexico in 2018. There were 2,629 Mexican students in Australia in 2018.

Australia enjoys growing economic ties and community links with Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. Total two-way trade of goods and services for these countries was $660 million in 2018.

Mr Moretta is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently Assistant Secretary, Europe Trade, UK and Ireland Branch. He has previously served overseas as Deputy Head of Mission, Australian High Commission, Wellington; Counsellor, Australian Embassy, Washington; and First Secretary, Australian Permanent Mission to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Geneva.

Mr Moretta holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences from Curtin University.

I thank outgoing Ambassador Dr David Engel for his contributions to advancing Australia’s interests in Mexico since 2015.