Mexico
H. E. Mr. Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, President
24 September 2008
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Statement Summary
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FELIPE CALDERÓN HINOJOSA, President of Mexico, stated that, in “an era of shared responsibility, the consequences of our actions transcend the territory of our countries, affecting the planet as a whole”. Noting the high priority placed on reversing the effects of climate change, he also said that, though it affected the world’s populations indiscriminately, those who contributed the least to it were most vulnerable.
Climate change was one of several common global challenges requiring multilateral action and a “renewed and strengthened” United Nations system. This was in addition to the food crisis, migration, terrorism, and security threats in the form of illicit drugs, weapons and human trafficking, which are especially challenging to Mexico’s development, he said.
On Mexico’s part, he declared: “We want to be actors, not spectators to the transformations of the world.” Mexico, therefore, proposed the following: creation of a “Green Fund” to provide incentives to States working on their problems with climate change, and an action plan to facilitate access to food by reducing taxes on basic food imports; establishing a “Strategic Reserve of Basic Products”; and increasing financial grants to poor families.
In terms of the Millennium Development objectives, Mexico was in near full compliance, and had set additional goals in its National Development Plan for reducing extreme poverty and reaching universal health care. Mexico had already reached the goal of universal basic education.
Because of this activism, and the fact that Mexico’s population was eleventh largest in the world, and its economy was the twelfth largest, it was seeking a non-permanent seat on the Security Council for 2009-2018. If attained, Mexico would commit itself to further action by promoting peace, democracy and the rule of law.
[Source: GA/10751]