SUSTAINABILITY collaboration was on the table as the UK and Mexican Ministers met in London for the UK-Mexico High-Level Economic Talks earlier this week.
Following the signing of a Partnership Agreement during the visit of the Foreign Secretary to Mexico City in August 2019, the latest talks focused on delivering those commitments to sustainable and inclusive growth, as well as promoting future collaboration in trade and investment.
Minister of State responsible for trade and economic diplomacy, Nigel Adams commented on the talks: “The UK-Mexico relationship has gone from strength to strength over the last decade, and this latest set of talks offer the opportunity to boost our ties even further.
“Our focus on prosperity, climate change and sustainable development demonstrates both our nations are striving to tackle the global challenges that will affect the next generation and be a force for good in the world.”
In the four quarters to the end of third quarter 2019, total UK exports to Mexico amounted to £2.6 billion (an increase of 1.6% compared to 2018).
In the same period, total UK imports from Mexico were £2.7 billion (an increase of 17.8% on the previous year).
In the Minister’s meeting with Mexican Deputy Foreign Minister, Julián Ventura, both committed to pursuing an ambitious future trading relationship.
UK government investment and collaboration in activity in Mexico has grown from £1 million in 2013 to now being worth up to £250 million over the next four years, covering health, education, climate change and sustainable development.
Representatives at the talks discussed ways in which both governments can work closer together on tackling climate change and boosting sustainable development.
Mexico and the UK have agreed a Declaration on Climate Change and Sustainable Development, building on Mexico’s legacy from COP16 in Cancún, and creating momentum to COP26 in Glasgow, ten years later.
In summary, the Declaration includes the following commitments:
- To form a ‘COP26 Alliance’, which will include:
- working together to advance international climate negotiations within the framework of COP26;
- collaborating bilaterally, and with third countries, on enhancement of our Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs);
- strengthening of synergies between climate action and the protection of biological biodiversity, in the context of the Global Framework for Biodiversity Post-2020;
- collaborating on adaptation and resilience initiatives to address the effects of climate change;
- facilitating business dialogues to engage with climate action, manage climate risk and support implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)/ Agenda 2030.
2. To strengthen the development of the urban-environmental agenda, including through support to local governments to increase climate ambition, and through support to scale-up successful initiatives at the subnational level in line with enhanced NDC targets and Mexico’s intentions to deliver the SDGs/Agenda 2030.
3. To mainstream action to tackle gender and social inequalities throughout the climate agenda, taking into consideration indigenous communities and other vulnerable groups, leaving no-one behind.
4. To ensure that cooperation programmes (including but not limited to the next phases of the UK PACT Programme (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions), the Sustainable Infrastructure Programme and the Climate Leadership in Cities Programme, Newton Fund, Global Challenges Research Fund and Chevening Programme) are responsive to mutual priorities for tackling climate change.
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