U.S.-Mexico High-Level Economic Dialogue in September

According to Marcelo Ebrard, head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the economic dialogue between high-level Mexican and U.S. officials will take place in Washington on September 9.

U.S.-Mexico High-Level Economic Dialogue in September
U.S.-Mexico High-Level Economic Dialogue. Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Marcelo Ebrard, head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), informed on Tuesday morning that the economic dialogue between high-level Mexican and U.S. officials will take place in Washington on September 9. "To confirm that the high-level economic dialogue that the President agreed with President [Joe] Biden and Vice President [Kamala] Harris is going to take place on September 9 in Washington," he said at a press conference.

In front of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the Foreign Minister explained that the main topics on the agenda to be reviewed are the relocation of supply chains to Mexico, coordination mechanisms in emergency situations such as the one currently being experienced, international cooperation for development in southern Mexico and Central America, and progress on border infrastructure. From the Treasury Room of the National Palace, he explained that the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP), the Ministry of Economy (SE), the SRE and other agencies are participating in the organization of the meeting.

On the other hand, Ebrard Casaubón announced that the United States will send two shipments with three million 500 thousand doses of vaccines against COVID-19 from Moderna Pharmaceuticals, which will allow the National Vaccination Plan to move forward. "We have been confirmed by the Vice President of the United States a few days ago and yesterday with the corresponding authorities of the United States that there are going to be two shipments for a total of 3.5 million of this vaccine," he announced during his speech.

The official also pointed out that the Moderna vaccine would be the seventh to be added to the Mexican portfolio, which he considered being "one of the largest in the world", and that the immunizer "will make it possible that beyond this donation, we will be able to opt for larger quantities of this vaccine if necessary". According to Marcelo Ebrard, the doses will be transported from the United States to the Toluca airport, with the support of Direct Relief and FedEx.

The Mexican President thanked the U.S. Government for its support and collaboration because "they offered us these vaccines". He reminded that there will be a total of eight million 500 thousand doses, three million 500 thousand from Moderna and five million from AstraZeneca. "They are a donation. And this is important to highlight and express our gratitude to President Biden. We have a very good relationship. We are not distant neighbors. We are close neighbors and there is solidarity and cooperation for development," he said.

The reactivation of the high-level economic dialogue mechanism, which had been out of session for five years, was agreed upon during Vice President Kamala Harris' June visit to Mexico City and ratified last week at the meeting between the delegation headed by Mexican Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Mexican authorities.

The government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador has raised with Washington the need to promote development and investment plans in southern Mexico and Central America to deal with the migratory flow that has increased this year at the beginning of Joe Biden's administration. The mechanism was activated in 2013 by the administrations of Barack Obama and Enrique Peña Nieto as part of a comprehensive cooperation agreement to promote economic growth in both countries and create jobs on both sides of the border.