VZCZCXRO6094
RR RUEHCD RUEHGD RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRD RUEHRS RUEHTM
DE RUEHME #4217/01 2121828
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 311828Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2424
INFO RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MEXICO 004217 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR WHA/MEX, WHA/EPC, EB/IED 
TREASURY FOR IA MEXICO DESK: JASPER HOEK 
COMMERCE FOR ITA/MAC/NAFTA: ANDREW RUDMAN 
ENERGY FOR KDEUTSCH AND SLADISWAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EFIN ENRG MX PGOV PINR PREL
SUBJECT: COPARMEX' PROJECT TO REDUCE MEXICO'S REGIONAL 
DIVISIONS 
 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified, entire text. 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1. (SBU) The Mexican Employers Confederation (Coparmex) is 
working on a joint plan with universities, unions, 
municipalities, states, and the banking sector to alleviate 
poverty, promote investment and create infrastructure in the 
less developed and "abandoned" south of Mexico.  The chair of 
the organization, Alberto Nunez Estevas, announced recently 
that the plan could be officially delivered to the President 
in October. The feasibility of the plan will depend on 
political events and the ability of disparate organizations 
to work together in the coming months. End Summary. 
 
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PRIVATE SECTOR INITIATIVE 
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¶2. (SBU) Embassy Econoff and FSN met with Dr. Alberto Equihua 
Zamora, Director of Regional Development and Analysis of the 
Mexican Employers Confederation (Coparmex) on July 27 to 
discuss the group's recently announced plans for potential 
broad scale assistance for Mexico's south.  Based on that 
meeting and recent media reports, it is clear that specific 
plans/results remain in an early stage. Equihua explained 
that, with the support of local authorities and universities, 
the private sector will be able to develop specific projects 
promoting investment, exploiting natural resources and 
creating needed infrastructure.  According to Equihua, the 
results of the elections made more obvious the need to look 
to the south to promote investment and create infrastructure. 
The Coparmex approach will seek to "formalize and coordinate 
ongoing and new projects with a defined methodology and a 
long-term vision".  Coparmex's regional centers are currently 
working with universities, which will perform studies on 
economic feasibili 
ty, marketing, demand, etc. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Equihua believes that Coparmex's overall plan should 
help to coordinate efforts and promote southern projects in a 
more efficient and targeted manner.  It also should help 
improve communication with involved parties: states 
secretaries of economic development, private sector, local 
 
SIPDIS 
vendors, and federal, state and municipalities authorities. 
The objective is to share best practices with other states 
and involve countries, such as the U.S., that may have 
expertise to offer.  Equihua believes that the Coparmex 
effort can provide continuity and establish formal 
commitments to projects given the upcoming GOM changes. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Alberto Nunez Estevas, the chief executive of 
Coparmex, said in his announcement that the success of this 
plan will depend on political developments (including AMLO's 
reaction to the electoral tribunal's decision) and how well 
federal and state government will be able to solve social 
problems. i.e. teachers union conflict in Oaxaca.  It will 
also depend on how involved municipalities are in the 
project. According to Nunez, municipalities and the society 
are key elements in promoting economic development proposals. 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) This latest initiative follows Coparmex's first 
forum on regional development (held in March of 2006).  That 
event was called "Regions of Mexico: Promoting Regional 
Development".  Coparmex worked very closely with the 
Association of Mexican Municipalities and the Ministries of 
Economy and Social Development to put it together.  The forum 
included discussions about best practices, promotion of 
Mexican services and products, and investment opportunities. 
Coparmex was able to install 80 stands and its target is to 
have more in the next forum.   The GOM Secretary of Labor, 
several Mexican Under Secretaries, Governors of southern 
states, the chairman of an important infrastructure 
development bank, the Chilean Ambassador, and Presidencia's 
staff attended the forum as speakers. President Fox closed 
the gathering.  Coparmex is planning to hold a second forum 
next year in which they will include speakers from the public 
and private sectors, and academia. Dr. Equihua, coordinator 
of the 2007 forum, expressed great interest in having U.S. 
participation (USG, academics, etc.) to share best practices 
 
MEXICO 00004217  002 OF 002 
 
 
and success stories.  Dr. Equihua will be in contact with us 
as soon as he has a better idea of the dates and agenda. 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶6. (SBU) We will track this undertaking to see what traction 
it may get in upcoming months.  At a minimum, it reflects 
well the current domestic preoccupation with Mexico as 
divided in two after the presidential elections held on July 
¶2.  As Nunez said, the industrialized North voted for PAN and 
the less developed and "abandoned" south decided for an 
"alternative economic model", i.e.  voting for PRD.  He and 
others see the attainment of broad-scale southern development 
as an important common goal for the Mexico.  End Comment. 
 
 
Visit Mexico City's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/mexicocity 
 
GARZA