The governor of San Juan took part in the signing of a key agreement between Argentina and France on critical minerals, amid growing bilateral cooperation. He emphasized the need to move from intentions to concrete action.
By Panorama Minero
At the French Embassy in Buenos Aires, San Juan Governor Marcelo Orrego was a featured guest speaker during a high-level diplomatic event marking the formal signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Argentina and France on critical minerals cooperation. The agreement was signed by France’s Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, Laurent Saint-Martin, and French Ambassador to Argentina, Romain Nadal, consolidating commitments previously made by Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Javier Milei during their recent meeting in Paris.
In his remarks, Orrego stressed the importance of creating real and tangible impact at the local level. “The time to invest is now. Our people have hope, and we cannot let them down,” he said before an audience of government officials, diplomats, and business leaders. He emphasized the urgent need to strengthen national value chains: “Delivering on the expectations placed in the development of local employment and suppliers is vital and necessary.”
The governor also noted that both the national and provincial governments are actively working to remove bureaucratic barriers that delay investment. “I believe we’ve moved past the time of intentions. We’re now in a time of decisions, and we must move forward toward execution,” he said.
Orrego’s participation also aligned with his role as president of Argentina’s Copper Board, from which he advocates for San Juan’s position as a leading province in the country’s strategic mineral offering. The French Embassy gave special recognition to his institutional leadership in that regard.
The week leading up to the event was also marked by a technical mission from the French Development Agency (AFD) to San Juan, made up of executives exploring investment and cooperation opportunities in mining, agribusiness, and energy. The delegation held meetings with relevant provincial ministers and with EPSE, San Juan’s state-owned energy company, to assess potential infrastructure and project development partnerships.
Orrego was accompanied by San Juan’s Minister of Mining, Juan Pablo Perea, and Minister of Production, Gustavo Fernández. The Argentine delegation also included the Secretary of International Economic Relations, Fernando Brun, and the National Secretary of Mining, Luis Lucero. Business leaders and officials from other mining provinces also attended the event.
