In this Global Platform video, Omar Fayad, governor of Hidalgo, details the measures being carried out to boost economic growth, attract investors and increase employment. Hidalgo received a AAA rating from global ratings agencies and has maintained it for three consecutive years. The state seeks to create a favourable investment climate while expanding the skilled workforce.
Each state in Mexico is different and we had to seek out our potential according to our own abilities.
First, we decided to reform the state’s constitution, the complete legal framework that supports economic development, and the relationship between the private and public sector.
We have been working since our first year in government – in collaboration with academic institutions, and national and international institutions – to try to build a new platform and rethink the state’s ability to attract investment.
We managed to improve our public finances and managed to receive the best rating that a Mexican state can receive from international ratings agencies – AAA, with a stable outlook, and we have maintained it for three years.
Investors first look at the rating of the place they are looking to invest in, because this shows that their public finances are in order, and the debt is under control and manageable.
We created a single window for investors and searched for investments from Canada, the Southern Cone, Asia and Europe.
We doubled investment during the first three years, the highest amount ever seen in Hidalgo’s history.
Hidalgo has now reached over MXN60bn in investment in the last three years.
Some of our policy actions have led us to believe that we now have many trade opportunities, thanks to the globalisation of trade and the ease of communication.
We want investors to see that within Mexico, Hidalgo is the best place to invest, the place most secure for investment and the new focal point for development in Mexico.
We now have an international airport, along with roads and highways that we did not before.
I think British investors can take advantage of this.
We managed to better position ourselves abroad by prioritising science, and leveraging technology and innovation as the main drivers – supported by the talent and abilities we see across Hidalgo.
In Hidalgo we sought to develop skilled labour as the best way to create jobs, and the best way to attract investment is to have a skilled workforce.
My government has made significant efforts during these six years in office to reinforce the education system.
Higher education has been improved and expanded, and we have prioritised science, technology and innovation.
We decided to create a digital university, the Digital University of Hidalgo, which is no different from other universities of the world, such as the Oxford’s Digital University or the London School of Economics, Harvard, the National Autonomous University of Mexico and Tecnológico de Monterrey.
We need an option for higher education that is quality, but without cost.
We already provide this for free to children from rural areas, indigeneous persons, marginalised and disabled people, female heads of households, single mothers, children of migrants and others in need.
Since the beginning of this government, we have been in direct contact with the private sector, which has improved our overall abilities.
We started “My first job, my first salary”, in collaboration with the private sector, so our students can find internship opportunities after completing their studies.
Around 80% of them continue to work in the same company. I consider it an honour to have been recognised by the city of London as a candidate for this recognition.
This means that our accomplishments in Mexico, particularly in the state of Hidalgo, have transcended our borders. And today, the actions, politics and decisions we have taken in the past six years of government have been recognised.
This recognition is not just for one person, but for all the people I have coordinated with, and a population that is ready and looking forward to transforming its reality.
