German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has arrived in Mexico for an official visit, coming shortly after Germany's failed bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

Wadephul and his Mexican counterpart Roberto Velasco co-chaired a meeting of the German-Mexican Binational Commission, focusing on strengthening cooperation in the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking.

According to Wadephul, combating organized crime should be a top priority, mainly due to concerns in Europe over rising drug consumption and the operations of international drug trafficking networks.

Velasco described the economic relations between the two countries as among the strongest and most diverse between Latin America and Europe.

The visit also included a trip to Mexico City's Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, one of the world's largest Catholic pilgrimage sites. Despite the UN Security Council loss, Wadephul emphasized that Germany will not cut funding to the UN and still views it as a key institution for peace and security.

Source: www.dw.com