Mexico, Colombia Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation

Juan Ramón de la Fuente, Mexico’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, met with Laura Sarabia, Colombia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, to review the bilateral agenda and discuss initiatives aimed at deepening cooperation and integration in Latin America and the Caribbean.

During the meeting, they agreed to hold the IV Meeting of the Strategic Relationship Council in Bogota, Colombia, in the near future. They also committed to modernizing the Memorandum of Understanding to include new priority areas of bilateral cooperation, such as; combating poverty and inequality, food security, health self-sufficiency, fighting transnational organized crime, human mobility, environmental protection, connectivity, and feminist foreign policy.

Both ministers recognized the solid historical ties between Mexico and Colombia and the positive phase their relations are experiencing. They highlighted their shared vision, principles, and policies focused on equality, social justice, solidarity, and shared prosperity.

Both diplomats discussed the challenges posed by regional migration and emphasized the need for a humanistic, comprehensive, and responsible approach. They stressed the importance of addressing structural causes and ensuring the protection of migrants’ rights and dignity. Additionally, they reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening regional and global leadership to achieve safe, orderly, and regular migration.

De la Fuente and Sarabia also held the V Meeting of the Working Group on Migration and Consular Affairs, which they expect will lead to concrete actions in consular cooperation, benefiting Mexican and Colombian nationals and ensuring dignified return mechanisms for migrants.

Mexico’s Support for Colombia’s Peace Efforts

De la Fuente reiterated Mexico’s commitment to its historical pacifist stance and expressed full support for Colombia’s "Total Peace" policy. He conveyed Mexico’s solidarity regarding the humanitarian crisis in certain regions of Colombia and indicated that Mexico is exploring ways to contribute to sustainable solutions. He reaffirmed Mexico’s willingness to facilitate and guarantee dialogue as a means toward lasting peace.

Social and Economic Cooperation

Both ministers celebrated the upcoming implementation of Mexico’s social programs, "Sowing Life" and "Together for Well-being" in Colombia — the first South American country where these programs will operate. They expressed confidence that these initiatives will contribute to rural development, reforestation, skill-building, and the reintegration of migrants into their communities.

Additionally, Sarabia expressed Colombia’s interest in deepening the exchange of experiences in railway infrastructure development, drawing from Mexico’s Mayan Train and the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec projects.

They also committed to fostering direct dialogue between national authorities on science, humanities, technology, and innovation.

Regional and Global Cooperation

De la Fuente and Sarabia reviewed various common interests within regional and international organizations. They emphasized the importance of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) as a regional mechanism and expressed their desire to unleash its potential for cooperation and integration.

Mexico pledged full support for Colombia’s pro tempore presidency of CELAC starting in April, particularly in its priorities of health self-sufficiency, interconnectivity, energy transition, and infrastructure development for connectivity.

The ministers agreed on the need for the Organization of American States (OAS) to restore its institutional role as a bridge-builder. They also stressed the importance of enhancing the social dimension of the Pacific Alliance to benefit vulnerable populations. Furthermore, they advocated for coordinated progressive positions in global forums such as the UN Human Rights Council and the 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30)