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 News Around the Republic of Mexico | July 2007 
Mexico’s New “National Infrastructure Program”
 Presidency of the Republic
| | Mexico's President Felipe Calderon speaks during a ceremony at the National Palace in Mexico City, Monday, July 16, 2007. (Alexandre Meneghini) |
Speaking before guests, Mexican President Felipe Calderón began by saying that he was honored to be at the National Palace to present the 2007-2012 National Infrastructure Program: “Let's Build a Better Mexico.” He remarked that, “Infrastructure is synonymous with social and human development. Nowadays, competitiveness, economic growth and countries' opportunities for well-being depend largely on the solidity and modernity of their infrastructure. As Mexicans, we have the opportunity and historic responsibility to make the decisions that will conclusively promote the country's development.”
The president explained that the National Infrastructure program has three main aims. The first goal is to provide equal opportunities for all Mexicans, particularly those who have the least. The second is to construct and expand the infrastructure required to increase the competitiveness of the national economy; while the third is to turn Mexico into a highly competitive logistic platform that will take advantage of these geographic and commercial advantages, thereby accelerating its economic growth and job creation.
The president went on to say that Mexico trails several other countries with regards to infrastructure. In order to reverse this trend, the National Infrastructure Program has set the following general objectives:
1. To increase the coverage, quality and competitiveness of infrastructure.
2. To make Mexico one of the world's main logistic platforms, particularly in transport and energy.
3. To improve Mexicans’ access to public services, particularly among the most disadvantaged.
4. To promote balanced regional development without reducing the growing competitiveness in the north of the country, yet focusing on the [areas that lag behind] in the center, south and southeast of Mexico.
5. To create more permanent jobs through investment and economic growth that will be created by the development of infrastructure.
6. To promote sustainable development through projects that respect the environment and encourage the rational use of Mexico's natural resources.
7. To promote the infrastructure required to increase tourist activities that will trigger employment and regional development.
The program is based on a number of premises, the first being that Mexico will have to substantially increase public investment in infrastructure, thereby increasing the availability of public funds. Second, in any economy public investment is insufficient, meaning that private investment must be promoted in infrastructure as an essential engine of development. Third, that Mexico can and must promote the conditions of economic stability that the current disciplined public finance management is providing the country, and take advantage of the current international liquidity.
The president went on to say that greater coverage and quality in infrastructure encourages more dynamic economic growth. Estimates based on data observed in Mexico show that every percentage point of the Gross Domestic Product invested in infrastructure generates additional economic growth of 0.3 percent.
To achieve a favorable economic scenario, the government has proposed a number of concrete actions: First of all, it will increase funds for the development of infrastructure. Second, it will promote the authorization of expenditures [throughout the year] for infrastructure investment projects based on the fiscal reform proposal submitted to Congress. Third, it will provide legal certainty for projects with public and private participation, and rapidly eliminate excess regulation of infrastructure investment. Fourth, it will encourage better coordination between the branches of government and the private sector in order to assign funds to the works the country really needs.
Through these and other actions, the 2007-2012 National Infrastructure Program seeks to achieve various goals and implement projects such as building and modernizing over 17,000 kilometers of highways and country roads. The president ended by saying that since the start of his government, he assumed the commitment to prioritize infrastructure in order to speed up the growth of the economy and thereby create the better paid jobs Mexicans demand. |
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