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-Editorial
The 35th annual meeting of ambassadors and consuls (REC 2024) was held at the Foreign Ministry from Monday, January 8 to Saturday, January 13, with the participation of 146 ambassadors and consuls from Mexico’s 162 diplomatic representations, in addition to emeritus, eminent, and retired ambassadors and top Foreign Ministry officials.
REC 2024, themed “For a diplomacy of convictions: close to the people, humanist, and egalitarian,” aimed to coordinate Mexico’s foreign policy planning to address global challenges, take advantage of international opportunities, and meet the goal of Mexico’s diplomacy, which was to defend the interests of Mexico and its citizens abroad.
For six days, the heads of Mexico’s embassies, consulates, missions, and offices abroad analyzed the current global panorama to determine the direction of the administration’s foreign policy, together with officials from the federal and state governments and representatives of the legislative branch.
At the inauguration of REC 2024, Foreign Secretary Alicia Bárcena Ibarra announced the topics that were discussed: the political, social, and economic context and the country’s migration policy, nearshoring and attracting foreign investment, cultural and tourism promotion, recovering Mexico’s historical heritage, its feminist foreign policy, and Mexico’s role in multilateral forums, among others. Participants included the heads and officials of the Ministries of the Interior, Finance, Labor, Security, Defense, Tourism, Social Welfare, Navy, Economy, and Culture.
“The current administration concluded its work in less than 9 months, and this meeting aimed to establish our course, which was expressed in the emblem of the REC, a compass rose. A compass is indispensable for navigation, but it does not by itself determine the purpose of the trip, it does not replace human will or answer the key question: where are we going? To find an answer, we have solid foundations. Regardless of the destination, the voyage must ensure that Mexico’s interests are protected. That is our compass and, for us, our destination was to improve the lives of our vast and diverse diaspora, of our Mexicans abroad,” said Secretary Bárcena Ibarra at the meeting’s inauguration.
“Mexican Foreign Service’ has three words. For me, the most important word is ‘service’. Regardless of the branch, the post, or the work, we must never forget that our work is to serve our country and our enormous and much-loved diaspora,” Secretary Bárcena reminded Mexico’s diplomatic representatives.
On Thursday, January 11, the diplomats were received by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador at the National Palace. The president shared with them the government’s foreign policy priorities for the coming months.
The activities of the REC were grouped into four areas established by Foreign Secretary Bárcena Ibarra at the beginning of her administration, with the concept of “4C diplomacy” they discussed inclusive diplomacy that is close to and at the service of the people, diplomacy that is consistent with Mexico’s foreign policy principles, compelling, forceful, timely, and effective diplomacy, and diplomacy that is committed to the country’s transformation.
Since the first REC in 1989, this annual meeting has been an opportunity to discuss, reflect on, and review the government’s foreign policy guidelines for the coming year.
