21st MEETING OF THE ADVISORY COUNCIL OF THE INSTITUTE FOR MEXICANS ABROAD

The 21st meeting of the Advisory Council of the Institute for Mexicans Abroad (CCIME) was inaugurated in Puebla. More than 100 advisors from the Mexican communities in the United States and Canada attended.

At the opening ceremony, Dr. Miguel Hakim, State Coordinator of International Affairs and Migrant Support, welcomed the participants on behalf of Puebla Governor Rafael Moreno Valle, saying that the CCIME is a success story in that it allows for pluralistic and participatory communication between the Mexican government and its citizens abroad. He stressed that the IME’s work is critical for keeping alive the ties of our migrants to their country of birth, in coordination with the work done by the consulates and state governments.

Advisors Marina Alvarez y Alonso Flores spoke on behalf of the CCIME to say that the 2012-2014 advisors are committed to participating actively, objectively, responsibly, selflessly and in a nonpartisan manner to help design public policies that benefit the communities abroad.

They applauded the leadership of the Mexicans and Mexican-Americans in the CCIME who have worked tirelessly and with dedication on the possible immigration reform in the U.S., and they invited the state and municipal governments and government agencies in Mexico to start putting modern systems in place in order to be able to provide those who might benefit from the immigration overhaul with the documents they need.

Lastly, IME Director Arnulfo Valdivia thanked the government of Puebla for its support. He said that the IME’s tenth anniversary is an opportunity for all those involved to strengthen the role of the institute and of the Advisory Council. The cooperation between the Mexican government and the advisors not only consists of defining the programs and actions, but also of defining the relationship between Mexico and the Mexicans abroad. Before formally inaugurating the meeting, Dr. Valdivia concluded: "I am a public servant, and I serve both the Mexicans born in Mexico and those born outside of Mexico, because being Mexican is something that is acquired by birth, by blood or by choice, and in this new phase of the IME, all of them are Mexicans and we are going to assist them."

The CCIME is the IME’s advisory body whose mandate is to analyze the problems, challenges and opportunities facing Mexican communities abroad and to make proposals to the Mexican government on ways their ties to Mexico can be strengthened and their integration into their places of residence improved.

The IME was established in 2003 and currently consists of 111 advisors elected in the 56 consular districts in the United States and Canada by 10 career advisors, four representatives of Latina/Hispanic organizations and one representative from a Mexican civil society organization, for a period of three years.