Mesoamerica Project: Strengthening Integration and Regional Development

“The Participating countries know that integration is translated into development…” These were the words of President Felipe Calderón at the Tenth Cumbre del Mecanismo de Diálogo y Concertación de Tuxtla, which took place last June, and in which the heads of state of Central America, Colombia and Mexico agreed to give a new impulse to the mechanism and work towards an Integration and Development project in Mesoamerica (Project Mesoamerica). The essay is divided into four sections: In the first section a balance is made of the results of the ppp; in the second section the reasons for retaking the ppp are examined and its transformation into Project Mesoamerica; the third one includes the work areas and the projects that integrate this regional mechanism, and in the fourth one, the conclusions and challenges of the project are presented. In the author’s opinion, among the challenges that Project Mesoamerica faces are: increasing international cooperation; using private and public associations to promote investment in these countries; coordinating efforts with the finance ministries and multilateral financial organisms, and positioning the mechanism in public opinion broadcasting with clarity, advances, and results. As it is pointed out in the conclusions, Project Mesoamerica is a longterm political compromise that is trying to give way to a more even development in the region. As the principal objective, the project will formulate and promote cooperating actions, development and integration, which will benefit the inhabitants of this region which is made up of nine countries.