(period
January 2002- May 2003)
To date, the Mexican Government has not provided any
direct economic support to promote the priority areas of the New Partnership.
However, it should be pointed out that, in the area of human resources
development, Mexico awards scholarships to nationals of various African
countries in, inter alia, the fields of health, engineering, teaching and
veterinary medicine. With regard to the health sector, during the biennium
2002-2003, the Mexican Government awarded two scholarships to Namibian
nationals, thereby enabling them to pursue advanced studies at the Military
Medical School of the Department of National Defense. This year (2003), 49 scholarships
have been awarded within the framework of the Scholarships and Cooperation
Agreements Programme and the High Level Conferences and Special Chairs
Programme.
At the multilateral level, Mexico, in its capacity as
a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has collaborated
with the main regional organizations in Africa, namely the African Union, the
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Southern African
Development Community (SADC), in the search for lasting solutions to the major
conflicts in Africa.
In February 2002, Mexico, holding the Presidency of
the Security Council, supported and took forward the negotiations, which gave
rise to the United Nations Ad Hoc Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution
in Africa.
The Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United
Nations took part in the Security Council mission to the Great Lakes Region,
from 27 April to 7 May 2002, with the aim of promoting the peace processes in
the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi.
Likewise, in chairing the Security Council sanctions
committee on Sierra Leone, Mexico visited the member States of the Mano River
Union, namely Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone (July 2002). On that occasion,
the success of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) was clear:
around 17,500 personnel were engaged in peacekeeping activities in that
country, following a decade of civil war.
In the framework of the
Security Council, Mexico proposed and also coordinated the negotiations on the
Presidential statement on Liberia (S/PRST/2002/36), adopted on 13 December
2002, which proposed a comprehensive strategy to mobilize international efforts
in order to reach a ceasefire, resolve the internal conflict and establish an
inclusive peace process; promote peace and national reconciliation in Liberia
and develop a stable and democratic political process; address humanitarian
issues; combat the illicit flow of weapons into the country; and guarantee
human rights.
Approximate financial assistance to African countries
since 2001
Mexico is not providing direct financial support to
the African countries, but, through international financial bodies such as the
World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, it has given its backing to the
various initiatives and proposals designed to help to resolve the financial
difficulties faced by the African nations, particularly in the area of external
debt. Similarly, Mexico has supported cooperation projects and programmes in
favor of the African region in multilateral forums within the United Nations
system, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
(FAO), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Food
Programme (WFP), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Furthermore, Mexico will continue to support the
African nations though its participation, as an observer, in the annual
meetings of the African Union, SADC and the Ad Hoc Working Group on Conflict
Prevention and Resolution in Africa, the mandate of which will expire in
December 2003.
It should be emphasized that, with a view to
achieving closer cooperation and diversification in its relations with the
African nations, the Mexican Government is promoting the presence of Mexican
businesses within African markets. Mexican businesses, such as CEMEX (cement),
HYSLA (textiles), Herdez (canned food), Chiclets Canel’s, Grupo MODELO (beer),
Industrias Lexus (sporting footwear), MERCATOR Agrícola (machinery), Productos
Internacionales MABE (nappies), Productos SILCO (drawing and engineering
products), HUMUS Líquido (fertilizers), SALVER Mexicana, La Hoja de Tabaco, El
Crisol, Calzado Sandak, and Losetas Asiáticas, have taken part in the
International Fair in Cairo since 1998 and the International Fair in Algeria
since 2000.
Likewise, the Mexican authorities support the
promotion of African trade in Mexico, through the holding of business seminars,
and take advantage of visits by African officials to exchange viewpoints on
collaboration in priority areas such as infrastructure development, optimizing
resources in the agricultural sector and the export of frozen and processed
foods.
Support for sub-regional and regional programmes of
NEPAD
For the last four years, Mexico has taken part, as an
observer, in the summit meetings of the Organization of Africa Unity, now the
African Union, with the aim of forging closer links with the region.
SADC is the regional economic group with the best
prospects in Africa. Mexico maintains relations with all its member States and
participates, as an observer, in its annual consultative meetings. This has
made it possible to strengthen political relations and identify potential areas
of cooperation at both the bilateral and multilateral levels.
Mexico has sought alternative ways of carrying out
small-scale collaborative projects with SADC members. At the bilateral level,
it has shared its experience relating to liberalization in the economic,
financial, scientific and technological local-government, legislative and
cultural and educational fields. Mexico offers scholarships for postgraduate
study to nationals from SADC member States.
Comments/ observations on the implementation of NEPAD
The ratification of the monitoring mechanism entitled
“African Peer Review Mechanism” (APRM) by all the member countries of the
African Union would be a decisive step forward towards the full implementation
of the New Partnership, particularly since the main objectives of APRM are
based on the Charters of the African Union and the United Nations and are
geared towards the adoption of policies and standards which, through shared
experience, will bring about stability, economic growth, sustainable
development and continental and sub regional integration.