The free commerce settlement between Israel and Guatemala got here into drive as we speak after being signed by Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich. Guatemala will cut back customs duties on Israeli meals and agricultural merchandise, with a full exemption for crops, olive oil, and matza, and decreased duties on seeds, nuts, nut merchandise, halva, and wine. Guatemala will cancel or regularly cut back duties on Israeli industrial merchandise akin to medication, cosmetics, plastics, ceramics, glass, jewellery and diamonds, iron and metal, digital machines and parts, and medical tools.
For its half, Israel is decreasing duties and opening as much as imports of merchandise from Guatemala, amongst them agricultural merchandise akin to meat, flowers and ornamental crops, nuts, and greens. Duties have been abolished altogether on bananas, spices, forest fruits, and halva, and on industrial merchandise together with plastic and rubber merchandise, ceramics, digital machines and parts, and jewellery.
Guatemala thus joins the listing of Latin American international locations which have free commerce agreements with Israel: Mexico, the Mercosur international locations (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay), Panama, and Colombia. Even beforehand, Guatemala was for years one of many international locations most pleasant to Israel, and it was one of many first to maneuver its embassy to Jerusalem.
In October, Guatemala’s earlier overseas minister, Mario Bucaro, expressed unreserved assist for Israel on the UN Common Meeting. Since January 15, a brand new authorities has been in energy, headed by President Bernardo Arévalo, who studied on the Hebrew College of Jerusalem whereas his father was Guatemalan ambassador to Israel.
Guatemala has the biggest financial system in Central America when it comes to inhabitants – 17 million – and GDP – $95 billion in 2022 in accordance with the World Financial institution, with common annual development over the previous decade of three.5%. However, the nation has a excessive fee of poverty (55.2%) and a black financial system estimated to be 49% of GDP, with a excessive fee of emigration and intensive dependence of households on switch funds.
Printed by Globes, Israel enterprise information – en.globes.co.il – on February 29, 2024.
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