Monday, April 19, 2010
Mexican and U.S. First Ladies Busy with Working Meetings
Presidency of the Republic
Margarita Zavala, the wife of
President Felipe Calderón and national president of Mexico's DIF [the government's family development agency], received US
First Lady Michelle Obama at the official Los Pinos residence.
Their first activity was a private bilateral
meeting in which they confirmed their particular interests in promoting projects related to the future of children and youth.
They also agreed on the importance for each of their countries to meet public health challenges related to obesity, diabetes
and addictions, among other disorders, in a timely fashion. This confirmed the fruitful relationship that has developed between
them.
During this meeting they were accompanied by Mexican Ambassador to the US Arturo Sarukhán, and US Ambassador
to Mexico Carlos Pascual.
They subsequently went to the restaurant at Casa Lázaro Cárdenas to lead a meeting
with their working committees, in which Mrs. Zavala spoke about the issues of addictions and unaccompanied child migrants.
The national DIF president told Mrs. Obama about the New Life strategy, designed to inform and orient parents,
teachers, children and teenagers about the dangers of drug consumption, and to detect the potential use of these types of
substances in a timely fashion in order to refer them to specialized units for treatment.
Mrs. Obama expressed
particular interest in the integral approach Mexico has used for dealing with addictions in youth, and she stressed the importance
of continuing to exchange experiences of best practices designed to boost programs to reduce drug consumption in the United
States.
Mrs. Zavala also mentioned the subject of migration and the efforts of the Program for Dealing with Border
Children to treat and prevent the problem of Mexican children and teenagers traveling alone. They both agreed on the importance
of ensuring the security and well-being of child migrants.
The Mexican President’s wife explained that
20 transit hostels and eight reception and care modules have already been incorporated into the program. In 2009, they provided
assistance for 17,224 child and teenage migrants and accompanied repatriated minors that attempted to cross the border into
the United States. Mrs. Zavala also described the efforts being made to take care of unaccompanied child migrants on Mexico's
southern border.
During this meeting Mrs. Michelle Obama was accompanied by US Ambassador to Mexico Carlos Pascual;
Dan Restrepo, Special Advisor to the US President and Director General of Western Hemisphere Affairs for the National Security
Council; Susan Sher, the First Lady’s Chief of Staff; Trooper Sanders, Deputy Director of Policy and Projects; and Mike
Lowell, a US Embassy officer in Mexico.
Mexico was represented by Mexican Ambassador to the US, Arturo Sarukhán;
Cecilia Romero, Commissioner of the National Institute of Migration; Cecilia Landerreche, Director General of the National
DIF; Carlos Rodríguez Ajenjo, Technical Secretary to the National Addictions Council; Jimena Cándano, Director of Strategy
and Social Liaison; and Rafael Fernández de Castro, Presidential Advisor on International Affairs.
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Press Release: Presidency of
the Republic, April 14, 2010, Mexico City; translation Presidency of the Republic
