Mexico the newest member of the Australia Group

By Adina Moloman

Source: http://www.australiagroup.net

Mexico is the newest member of the Australia Group, an informal forum that seeks to prevent the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons. Mexico formally joined the Australia Group on August 12, 2013, after working on its export control system fully into line with the Australia Group’s common control lists and guidelines.

Australia Group is an informal forum of 42 countries committed to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction. Its name is after Australia, the country that took the initiative to establish this group in 1985 and is also coordinating the Secretariat of the group.

In 2012, Mexico also joined the Wassenaar Arrangement on dual-use goods, another group in charge of trade controls of weaponry and products or technologies that could be used for the production of arms.

The Mexican Government’s commitment of regulating the trade of sensitive goods and technologies is actually bringing an extra bonus when it comes to facilitate investment in strategic and high technology sectors seeking to establish manufacturing in Mexico.

As active members of these two organizations Mexico Manufacturers will have the framework in place by which to acquire high technology inputs in order to manufacture more value added products used in strategic sectors as aerospace industry, electronic, chemicals and biotechnology.

These involve investment on restricted types of manufacturing which will give Mexico manufacturers access to new markets.

Mexico is also working on admission to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (nuclear products and technologies for peaceful purposes) in order to raise the country competitiveness when it comes to attracting high technology investments.