The Mexican government has given a Saudi diplomat one of its top state awards for promoting cooperation between the
two nations.
Ambassador of Mexico to Saudi Arabia Arturo Trejo conferred the Order of the Aztec Eagle on Hussein Alassiri, former Saudi ambassador to that country, at a ceremony in Riyadh recently.
The order was created in 1932 and is the highest honor given to foreigners who have assisted in developing both the Mexican and global community with their actions.
Trejo, speaking at the ceremony held at his residence, said Alassiri had done outstanding work during his tenure from 2010 to 2014. “During his tenure, ambassador Alassiri distinguished himself by strengthening the bilateral relationship between Mexico and Saudi Arabia,” Trejo said.
Alassiri participated in negotiations that led to the signing of the memorandum of understanding on political consultations in Riyadh on May 11, 2011. He helped expand bilateral trade, which resulted in Saudi Arabia becoming Mexico’s main trading partner in the Arab region, amounting to SR1 billion annually, said Trejo.
Alassiri also helped facilitate the aid given by Saudi Arabia to thousands of Mexicans who were affected by the devastating hurricanes that struck the western part of Mexico in 2013, said Trejo.
Besides, Alassiri also coordinated high-level visits of Mexican officials to Saudi Arabia, including then Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Lourdes Aranda in May 2011, then Minister of Foreign Affairs Jose Antonio Meade in March 2014, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos de Icaza in October 2014, and a Mexican parliamentary delegation in January 2015.
Trejo said there were also high-ranking visits to Mexico by Saudi officials including Undersecretary for Bilateral Affairs Khalid Al-Jandan in November 2011, and Minister of Finance Ibrahim Al-Assaf, who led a delegation to the G20 Summit in June 2012.
Alassiri encouraged fruitful business contacts and the visit of a delegation of Mexican businessmen led by the well-known Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim to Saudi Arabia in April 2013, said Trejo.
