Press release: Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson visits Chile

Foreign Secretary Johnson will hold talks with the President Sebastian Piñera and Minister of Foreign Affairs Roberto Ampuero to discuss further collaboration on international security, defence, and post-Brexit trade opportunities.

Speaking ahead of his visit to Chile Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said:

I am delighted to be visiting Chile as part of my tour of Latin America and to have the opportunity to further strengthen our historic relationship. It is fitting my visit comes on the 200th anniversary of the Chilean Navy´s foundation by British Admiral Lord Cochrane.

The UK and Chile already have strong trading links between our countries and with the UK leaving the European Union, I want both nations to grasp this opportunity and to deliver a real boost to British-Chilean trade links in the years ahead.

During his visit to Santiago, Mr Johnson will join the Chilean Minister of Education Gerardo Varela and meet Chilean students where he will launch a project led by the British Council aiming to empower girls through digital literacy and computer coding. The project entitled ‘Girl Power Codefest Americas’ will enhance digital literacy and coding skills among students, and specifically girls, in Chile, Colombia and Peru, underlining the Foreign Secretary’s commitment to improving education for girls across the world – a key personal priority.

He will join the Chilean Minister for Economy at the opening of the Bupa Santiago Hospital, which will officially open next month. British company Bupa is the biggest investor in the healthcare sector in Chile and the 400 hundred-bed hospital in Santiago is Bupa’s biggest healthcare clinic worldwide.

The Foreign Secretary will also attend an event with a select group of Chilean business people and senior political figures, organised by the Chilean Council for International Relations.

Further information

• Follow the Foreign Secretary on Twitter @BorisJohnson and Facebook

• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook

• Follow the Foreign Office on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn