The Secretary of Foreign Relations, Marcelo Ebrard, considered the most efficient official to solve the emergencies of the Lopez Obrador government and one of the candidates for the Presidency of the Republic has a new mission: to participate in the economic recovery of Mexico.
The way through which it will seek to fulfill this task is through the promotion, at the international level, of Foreign Direct Investments in Mexico (FDI).
Faced with the possibility of a storm and inflationary pressures, the head of Mexico’s diplomatic portfolio has been commissioned by the President of Mexico to increase foreign investment.
The new mission that the civil servant has is key in the middle of the Lopez Obrador administration.
It is recorded at a time when the economic rebound that had been observed under the multimillion-dollar stimulus program that the US government, led by Joe Biden, has been applying, begins to deflate.
When the growth expectations for Mexico, by the experts of the different financial firms, have been revised downwards, both for the end of 2021 and for the end of this year 2022.
The government in office reached the middle of the six-year term, with the worst performance in economic growth that has been registered in years. Partly because of the pandemic, but also because of public policies and economic decisions that have scared investors.
There are those who predict a lost six-year term in terms of economic growth.
The official forecast of 4.5% of GDP for the end of this year could remain in one more promise; most private forecasts are between 2 and 3%.
To promote a higher rate of economic growth requires that private and public investments be higher than the current ones.
Today private investment amounts to around 17% of GDP and the government almost 3%.
To achieve a growth rate of 4% of GDP, investments of 25% of GDP are required: 20% from private investment and 5% from the government.
The Secretary of the Treasury, Rogelio Ramírez de la O. along with the president of the Business Coordinating Council (CCE), Carlos Salazar, review the latest details of an infrastructure investment package that should be released before the end of this month. It is a package that is already long overdue.
For this reason, the mission entrusted to Marcelo Ebrard to attract foreign capital is striking.
The Secretary of Foreign Relations has options to do that task. It leads the High Level Economic Dialogue (DEAN) with North America and the agreement with the European Union.
He also holds talks with many countries in the world: with the United Kingdom, with Korea, with Australia, with India, with the Middle East.
In all the forums that Mexico participates and for which it has invitations this year, it can seek to increase Mexico’s presence and investment in the country, including the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world.
The official has an almost impossible mission, considering that the National Palace broadcasts every other day, messages against national and foreign private investors.
Ebrard has completed several very difficult missions, we will see what results he achieves with this one.
Glimpses
COVIDCITO.- President Andrés Manuel López Obrador tested positive for Covid-19.
It is the second time that it is contagious. Yesterday he reported that his symptoms are mild and that he will remain isolated.
Hopefully he will recover his health soon and that it will not have major consequences. Yesterday, January 10, Dr. Laurie Ann Ximénez-Fyvie, doctor in Medical Sciences from Harvard University, denied the official version that the Omicron variant is less harmful than the previous variants.
It also warns that this fourth wave will not necessarily reach the maximum peak in a short time. In most countries it has lasted up to 10 and 12 weeks. Watch out!
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Rich and powerful
He has worked non-stop in newspapers, magazines, radio, television and the Internet, in the last 31 years he has specialized in business, finance and economics. He is one of the three hosts of the Alebrijes, Águila o Sol program, a program specialized in economic issues that is broadcast on Foro TV.