Press release

Boris Johnson announces new prosperity programming for Mexico

皇冠体育app Foreign Secretary will announce a new prosperity programme at high level talks with Mexican Foreign Minister Videgaray on 19 October in London.

This was published under the 2016 to 2019 May Conservative government

This will build on a number of successful UK-backed programmes in the country, and will open up the Mexican market to UK businesses in the energy, future cities and financial services sectors.

By helping to improve Mexico鈥檚 business environment and supporting the Mexican government to develop policies that foster an open market, the investment, worth around 拢60 million over the next four years, will boost the longstanding UK-Mexico partnership, increase prosperity for both countries, and create opportunities for new business, including those from the UK.

皇冠体育app UK has supported a number of successful programmes in Mexico in recent years, including the creation of a competitive renewable energy market, which has already resulted in millions of pounds worth of business for UK companies.

皇冠体育app new prosperity programme will also increase the country鈥檚 recovery and resilience efforts following the recent earthquakes by promoting better infrastructure projects and increasing access to financial products such as insurance. Currently, just 5% of Mexicans have building insurance, while more than half of the population has no access to any financial services at all.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said:

Britain has had a close relationship with Mexico ever since the UK became the first European country to recognise its independence almost two centuries ago. 皇冠体育app relationship has endured to this day, and our two countries continue to strengthen links in areas as diverse as trade, security, culture, education and tourism.

This new funding will give a significant boost to Mexico鈥檚 economic development and reform, which is good news for the UK. Mexico is already implementing an ambitious package of economic reforms, including opening up the energy and telecom sectors. Helping Mexico to build stable, well-regulated markets and reduce barriers to trade will create more opportunities for British companies.

Our trade with Mexico stood at more than 拢3.6 billion in 2015, but the potential is much greater. This programme is the first step in unlocking that potential, to the benefit of both Mexico and the UK.

Background

皇冠体育app UK鈥檚 work in Mexico

  • In 2016 the UK supported local authorities to introduce cost-effective ways to encourage people to use alternative transport to improve urban mobility in Mexican cities. 皇冠体育app success of this work led the Mexican government to allocate 15% of its Metropolitan Fund for sustainable mobility, which in turn lead to increased opportunities for British companies.

  • 皇冠体育app UK helped Mexico to adopt new financial mechanisms by supporting the design of Mexico鈥檚 Green Bonds market from 2014 to 2017. We also assisted in the creation of a new Advisory Council which helped create a new multi-billion dollar market for Green Bonds, and supported the creation of the Mexican carbon platform to trade emissions with other markets.

  • In 2015 we helped develop a Community Policing model to increase trust in Mexico鈥檚 police forces, an initiative that was publicly welcomed by President Pena Nieto. A strengthened business environment is good for UK business.

  • Figures from the Mexican Association of Insurance Agents suggest that just 5% of the Mexican population has buildings insurance, only 15% have life insurance, and more than 50% of the population have no access to any financial services product.

皇冠体育app Guest of Government visit

  • 皇冠体育app talks form part of a Guest of Government visit by the Foreign Minister on 17-19 October, during which he is also meeting the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Secretary of State for International Trade, HRH 皇冠体育app Duke of York and 皇冠体育app Lord Mayor of 皇冠体育app City of London.

  • 皇冠体育app Foreign Ministers are also expected to discuss a range of other issues, including the two country鈥檚 shared positions on Venezuela and North Korea, and how they can work together to tackle climate change and the illegal wildlife trade.

  • 皇冠体育appy will also discuss how the UK and Mexico can further strengthen economic ties, including through high level economic talks that are due to take place in Mexico City in 2018.

  • Foreign Minister Videgaray鈥檚 visit follows successful visits to Mexico by the then Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond in May 2016 and Secretary of State for International Trade in July 2017, and a visit to the UK by the Mexican Minister of Economy in April 2017.

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Published 19 October 2017