The Foreign Secretary is appearing at the 78th regular session of the UN General Assembly on behalf of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, and as spokesperson for the MITKA Group (informal association between Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Türkiye and Australia).

Barcena argued that Mexico has a compliance rate of 69.7% according to the United Nations 2023 briefing. Adding that her country has placed people’s welfare at the center of its public policies for the latest five years.

Such results have been boosted by cracking down corruption, having bigger efficiency in public spending and having increased tax collection without raising taxes or incurring debt. Nowadays seven out of every 10 households receive public resources through social programs such as universal pensions for senior citizens, scholarships for students and support to rise rural production.

The foreign secretary cited as examples the “Sembrando Vida” Program, with an investment of USD$ 1.6 billion, which represents the largest productive reforestation effort in the world.

Barcena explained that the program’s aim is to contribute to the welfare of half a million planters and seeders by bolstering food self-sufficiency, addressing rural poverty and environmental degradation.

Another example was that of the “Youth Building the Future,” an experience of work centers leveraging youngsters’ energy to promote job opportunities.

The Mexican government has invested over USD$ 5.0 billion and trained over 2.6 million youngsters in this program, so that Mexico will never again be able to act without young people.

The official expressed that her government’s social policy in conjunction with pivotal economic factors such as the maximums in foreign investment, employment and a 90% increase in the minimum wage, has facilitated to lift over 4.0 million Mexicans out of poverty.

ef/omr/npg/lma