Developing Mexico Wants More Active Contacts with Finland

​ Mexico, which is often connected with poverty, unemployment, violence and other social problems, is nowadays much more developed. Pensado emphasised that Mexico is in many ways a remarkable country.

– Mexico is the world’s 11th largest country proportionate to population. When comparing gross national products, Mexico is in the 14th place. Furthermore, Mexico is among the top ten countries in the world when considering the value of imports and exports. In Latin America, Mexico’s inflation rate is the lowest, lists Pensado.

The average age of the population is only 27 years and over half the population is under the age of 29. The young age of the population shows in the increasing amount of university degrees.

– Each year, over 100 000 engineers graduate in Mexico, which is clearly more if compared with, for example, Brazil or Germany.

The country has also become more democratic in its politics, but it has not been an easy road. The improvement of the way to democracy  started in 2000 by the election of the new President Vicento Fox, ending 70 years of one-party Government. .

– Then the discordant state reached an understanding that the social situation has to be improved. At the beginning of the current administration the three biggest parties in Mexico decided despite their differing ideologies to cooperate in order to solve the fundamental problems and signed the “Pact for Mexico”,  says Pensado.

The Free Trade Agreement Was the Key to Success

According to Pensado, a significant factor in the development of Mexico has been the Free Trade Agreement made in 1994, which enabled the mobility of trade. Since signing the agreement, Mexico’s exports have increased significantly each year as well as its investments abroad.

– Mexico’s geographical position enables us to make contacts to every direction, says Pensado.

After signing the Free Trade Agreement, Mexico’s production has risen 80 percent and tripled since 1994. The Mexican industry produces, for example, cars and electronics.

– Few people know that Mexico is the biggest manufacturer of plasma televisions among other things and that it is the fourth biggest exporter of computers and IT services.

According to Pensado, the trade between Mexico and Finland is still fairly minimal. However, of the Latin American countries, Mexico is so far the only one that has investments in Finland.

– Finland could also be our gateway to the Baltic countries and Russia.

The opening speech at the visiting lecture was given by the Honorary Consul and Medical Counsellor Sakari Alhopuro, who also emphasized the importance of active contacts between Finland and Mexico.
 
Text: Matilda Herjanto
Photos: Matilda Herjanto