Mexico seeking to join IEA ranks

Paris - The International Energy Agency (IEA) on Monday said Mexico was seeking to join the organisation which looks to ensure clean and affordable energy for its 29 members.

The IEA said Mexican Energy Minister Pedro Joaquin Coldwell had presented an official letter expressing the country's desire to join.

"I am delighted that Mexico, a G20 member and significant energy producer and consumer, has decided to take this important step," said IEA executive director Fatih Birol at a press conference in Paris with Coldwell, whose country is Latin America's second-biggest economy.

"This presents an excellent opportunity for the IEA to strengthen its ties with Mexico, and opens the door to greater engagement across Latin America. It is a key step towards our objective of building a truly global international energy organisation," Birol added.

Mexico is the Organisation for Economic Development and Cooperation's third-largest oil producer. The Paris-based IEA is the OECD's energy arm.

Birol was speaking on the eve of a two-day IEA ministerial meeting of member states and partner nations, including Brazil, China, India and South Africa.