Mexico is Active in Global Development Cooperation Projects

mexidata.com
Monday, January 6, 2014




The Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID) marked its second anniversary in 2013, a year in which it underwent reorganization in order to position Mexico as an actor with global responsibility.

As 2013 came to an end, there were 341 cooperation projects ongoing in Mexico, both bilateral and multilateral, mainly in education, science and technology. The cooperation comes mainly from European countries, North America and Japan, with the multilateral aid coming mostly from the United Nations.

As a donor country, most of Mexico’s bilateral, regional and triangular cooperation projects are in Central America in areas such as infrastructure, health, education, the environment and natural disasters.

One prominent example of the way in which Mexico’s cooperation has expanded is the cooperation project that began this year with African countries to strengthen the monitoring and evaluation of social policy, in coordination with the National Council for the Evaluation of Social Policy (CONEVAL).

As part of its reorganization, the agency now has an area for planning and evaluation, responsible for designing and monitoring the international development cooperation program. For this, and for its institutional strengthening, it has received support from the German Agency for International Development Cooperation (GIZ) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

AMEXCID’s development cooperation and economic and cultural promotion were also an important part of the agenda on President Enrique Peña Nieto’s official and state visits, and those made by foreign leaders to Mexico in 2013.

During these visits various documents were signed, including a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Science and Technology between the AMEXCID and the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey; and the Program for Cooperation in Education, Science, Culture, Sports, Youths and Social Communication with Portugal.

The AMEXCID, in coordination with ProMéxico and the Mexican Business Council for Foreign Trade, Investment and Technology (COMCE), organized business meetings during the visits in order to promote Mexican exports, attract investment, and promote Mexican investment abroad.

Mexico's commitment to quality education is reflected in the Foreign Ministry’s scholarship program, administered by AMEXCID. In 2013, 935 students were awarded scholarships to come to Mexico to study for bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees in areas in which our country has vast experience.

At the same time, thanks to Mexico’s reciprocal programs with many countries, 861 scholarships were awarded to Mexican students to study abroad. These academic exchanges strengthen our cultural ties with other countries and promote society’s acquisition of knowledge.