Mexico Calls Climate Change, Migration and Drugs 'Global Challenges'

Office of the Mexican Presidency

Brussels, Belgium– During his participation in the private meeting, “Dialogue on International Affairs and Development,” President Enrique Peña Nieto shared his impressions on climate change issues, migration and drugs with leaders of the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean, which he described as global challenges that must be addressed with co-responsibility.

Noting that at the global level, in 2013 alone, 231 million people migrated from one country to another, he said that in Mexico, “We have taken steps to ensure their dignified, safe and orderly return and to facilitate their full and productive reintegration.”

During the private meeting of leaders, as part of the second day of the II EU-CELAC Summit, the president said that Mexico is approaching a net emigration rate of zero percent. The number of Mexicans returning to their homeland is steadily rising.

The president said that according to the International Organization for Migration, the scale of migration to developing and developed countries is virtually the same. The vast majority of countries at the second Summit, he declared, “Face challenges associated with migration as either receiving, sending or transit countries.”

With regards to the transit of migrants, he said:

We have adopted a jointly responsible, humane regional perspective.

We have a network of medical units, which in 22 months provided over 36,000 free medical consultations for migrants.

We launched the Southern Border program, which has handed out over 110,000 Regional Visitor cards and 15,000 Visiting Border Worker cards.

We are promoting regional development in conjunction with Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

Joint responsibility and prevention are the best means of solving the World Drug Problem

On the drug issue, the president said that, “Responsibility and prevention are the best means of solving the global drug problem.”

He said that efforts must be made to promote the development, inclusion and strengthening of the social fabric: in the EU-CELAC, “We recognize the need to address the causes and consequences of drugs, through the promotion of inclusion, access to health services, the creation of decent work opportunities, full respect for human rights and prevention.”

He declared that Mexico has called for a comprehensive, objective evaluation of the policies and strategies implemented in recent decades to address the worldwide drug problem. He said that the few results and growing social costs associated with drug use and trafficking, “Force us to rethink paradigms as an international community.”

The president confirmed Mexico’s proposal for a Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Drugs (UNGASS) to be held at the UN headquarters in 2016. He declared that this meeting will be a great opportunity for redefining global efforts to combat the scourge of drugs.

Mexico proposes a new framework for post 2015 global development with an emphasis on social inclusion

The president proposed to the leaders of the EU-CELAC that the spirit of commitment that led to the goals set in the Millennium Development Goals be renewed, given the challenges of today.

He said that Mexico has joined efforts with the international community by proposing a new global framework for development after 2015, with emphasis on social inclusion. This is a new vision constructed on the basis of current achievements yet incorporating bolder, more sweeping aims to eradicate poverty and inequality, under the principles of universality and sustainability goals,” he declared.

In particular, he continued, “We have promoted a multidimensional measurement of poverty and a General Overview of Social and Economic Inclusion for the Post 2015 Development Agenda,” which involves creating development opportunities for all people, especially for groups living in conditions of greater marginalization, exclusion and vulnerability.

Mexico has contributed US$10 million to the Green Climate Fund and another US$20 million to the Global Environment Fund

Declaring that the world’s countries have failed to meet the challenge of climate change and its harmful effects on the planet, the Mexican president declared that inaction could cost up to 20 percent of the global gross domestic product (GDP), “Ten times more than the figure required to control our emissions.”

He said that scientists agree that a further increase in the Earth’s temperature would be irreversible. “This is a very real and serious threat to island countries and also to those with a coastline, in other words, 54 of the 61 present at the Summit.

He outlined some of the actions Mexico has undertaken regarding climate change:

We have established a carbon tax, together with a National Emissions Register.

Mexico has contributed US$10 million to the Green Climate Fund and another US$20 million to the Global Environment Fund.

We announced our Nationally Planned and Determined Contributions, with unconditional reduction targets of 22 percent of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and 51 percent of black carbon by 2030.

President Peña Nieto invited the participating leaders to make an explicit commitment to the environment at the Conference of the Parties (COP)-21 and to invite other nations of the world to join this effort.

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Presidency of the Republic, Jun. 11, 2015, Mexico, DF; translation by Presidency of the Republic