The Mexican G20 Presidency Engages in Discussions with National and International Civil Society Organizations

The Mexican G20 Presidency reported on the progress made in negotiations in the run-up to the Los Cabos Leaders’ Summit.

Civil society organizations put forward their proposals and positions in regard to the G20 negotiations.

At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Patricia Espinosa led a meeting between civil society organizations (CSO) and the Mexican G20 Presidency, in which 21 organizations from national and international networks submitted proposals to the G20 Presidency. They will attempt to promote purposeful dialogue by using their proposals to contribute to the negotiation process.

During the meeting, the Minister confirmed the importance of the meetings with civil society by stating that the presence of national and international networks will make it possible to envisage positions that had not previously been put forward.

The networks showed that the dialogue encouraged by the Mexican Presidency of the G20 has already made a difference from previous presidencies of the Group. They also stressed the importance for civil society to actively participate in the Sherpa and finance process.

Among the issues consistently raised by the SCO were those related to economic stabilization and the structural reforms for growth and employment, as well as food security and sustainable development. These issues were discussed from a critical perspective by both the national and international SCO, which asked the Mexican Presidency of the G20 to adopt a more proactive role in the face of these pressing challenges.

Within the framework of this meeting, the CSO had the opportunity to deliver position documents to the Mexican Presidency of the G20.

The SCO and networks that attended included: Oxfam Mexico; Movimiento por la Soberanía Alimentaria, Energética, los Derechos de los Trabajadores y las Libertades Democráticas; Consumers International; Asociación Nacional de Empresas Comercializadoras de Productos del Campo; Grupo de Trabajo Global para el G8/G20; Asociación Latinoamericana de Organizaciones de Promoción al Desarrollo A.C., ALOP; Consejo Económico y Social de Jalisco; Consejo Técnico Consultivo de la Ley de Fomento a las Actividades Realizadas por las Organizaciones de la Sociedad Civil; Consejo Mexicano para el Desarrollo Rural Sustentable de la SAGARPA; Consejo Consultivo para el Desarrollo Sustentable de la SEMARNAT; World Wildlife Fund; Fundación Heinrich Böll; Observatorio Mexicano de la Crisis; CROC; SP Tomate Nacional; STRM/UNT; MEXFAM; Save The Children; DECA Equipo Pueblo; CCC; UGOCP and CONAPAAC.

The Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs was represented by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Mexican Sherpa for the G20, Ambassador Lourdes Aranda, Deputy Minister for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights, Ambassador Juan Manuel Gómez, Executive Director of the Mexican Agency for International Cooperation for Development, Rogelio Granguillhome, and Director General of Liaison Work with Civil Society, Miguel Díaz. The Deputy Minister of Finance and Public Credit’s Chief of Staff, Hugo Garduño, was also present.

The Mexican Presidency is interested in meeting the needs of the key actors and sectors wishing to contribute to the G20 discussions.