|
|
 |
| Trade and Investment Publication |
|
| |
Trade News |
 |
Canada-Mexico Partnership: Increasing trade and investment
January 12, 2006
Canada-Mexico Partnership: Increasing trade and investment
As North American countries and partners in the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA), Canada and Mexico have become significant trading partners and close allies.
The trade and investment relationship is one of confidence and growth. Canada has
developed into Mexico's second-largest export market, while Mexico is now Canada's
fifth-largest export destination. With a young, growing population of more than 100
million, Mexico’s economy will offer abundant opportunities for Canada to build upon
this already expansive trade and investment relationship. Among other initiatives, the
innovative and rapidly-growing Canada-Mexico Partnership is being used to capitalize on
these opportunities.
The Canada-Mexico Partnership (CMP) was launched in October 2004, at the same time
that the two countries were celebrating 60 years of diplomatic relations, as well as the
10th anniversary of NAFTA. The main purpose of the partnership is to enhance
relationships between the two countries and to further cooperation in a broad range of
priority areas. These include public–private sector partnerships, business-to-business
links, bilateral investment, good governance practices, education, institutional reforms
and citizen-focused government. These priorities have formed a rich basis for dialogue
and cooperation, as demonstrated by the successes achieved in the first year of the
Partnership.
The first CMP Report to Leaders was released on September 30, 2005, during the visit to
Canada of Mexican President Vicente Fox. The report highlights key accomplishments
by the Partnership’s working groups on competitiveness, human capital and urban
development and housing. Each working group has been organised to bring together
business leaders, key economic actors and senior policy makers, and to foster the creation
of public- and private-sector networks and partnerships. These networks will continue to
pay off through increased trade and investment between the two countries. Two
additional working groups, one focusing on agri-business and the other on energy, were
recently created, resulting in the Partnership’s expansion to five groups.
Against the backdrop of the CMP, Canadian and Mexican firms have collaborated on
numerous projects that have led to increased trade and investment opportunities. In the
working group on housing, Mexican members agreed to incorporate innovative and
sustainable Canadian technologies into their construction projects. Mexican companies in
the urban development working group have begun to introduce Canadian wastewater
treatment facilities into rural Mexican communities. The competitiveness working group
is focused on reducing barriers to trade and investment and promoting Mexico-Canada
business partnerships, in order to attain its goals of increasing bilateral trade by 50
percent and investment by 100 percent by 2010. As each working group continues to
evolve, these projects will expand and new initiatives will be implemented.
The Canada-Mexico Partnership has added a new dimension to our dynamic relationship
and effectively complements both NAFTA and the Security and Prosperity Partnership of
North America. The dedication and hard work that characterize the Partnership will
continue to enhance cooperation between Mexico and Canada for many years to come.
For more information, go to www.itcan-cican.gc.ca/cmp-en.asp.
|
