Jamaica, Mexico mull poverty MOU
Published:Friday | October 25, 2019 | 12:06 AMPaul Clarke/Gleaner Writer
Jamaica and Mexico are in talks around the signing of a memorandum of understanding for the evaluation of a Social Development Policy that will cover Latin American and Caribbean countries.
The policy forms part of Mexico’s renewed foreign-affairs policy towards the Caribbean.
It is geared towards combating poverty in the region and will have as partners the Planning Institute of Jamaica, the United Nations Children’s Fund, and the Mexican National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy.
“Jamaica is a key partner in this effort,” declared Mexico ambassador to Jamaica, Juan José González Mijares.
Additionally, Mexico will take over the presidency of the Conference of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States in January 2020, and its aim of building bridges for economic and social development and the peaceful resolution of crisis in the region are critical elements to regional social development, reasoned Mijares.
Mijares also told The Gleaner that Mexico sees Jamaica as a leader in the region and has signalled its new approach by further strengthening bilateral ties, evidenced by increased investment into island.
He said that Mexico and Jamaica have strengthened economic relations and have broadened cooperation through deepened political dialogue over the years, decisions that are important for the success of both countries’ economies.
“In June 2019, we celebrated the Ninth Meeting of the Mexico-Jamaica Binational Commission, where we agreed to increase cultural and technical exchanges and to intensify cooperation on nine projects for the 2020-2021 cycles in the fields of irrigation, agriculture, research, geospatial statistics, and maritime security, among others,” reiterated Mijares.
Mexican investments in Jamaica have since surpassed the US$1-billion mark.
Mijares said that he expects those figures to show even further increases over the next two years.
Recently, the Mexican company Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico and its local subsidiary, PAC Kingston Airport Limited, formally took over operations of the Norman Manley International Airport.