Foreign Secretary Alicia Bárcena signs agreement with Huawei Mexico to empower women entrepreneurs and promote digital inclusion

Foreign Secretary Alicia Bárcena signs agreement with Huawei Mexico to empower women entrepreneurs and promote digital inclusion

• The agreement enhances operational and digital capabilities by promoting access to seed capital and the inclusion of indigenous women through native-language programs that facilitate their integration into the digital economy

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) and Huawei Mexico signed a strategic agreement yesterday providing technical training for women entrepreneurs and facilitating access to the digital economy for women from indigenous communities.

The agreement enhances operational and digital capabilities through programs that promote access to seed capital and offer training in information technology, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digitization. It promotes international trade opportunities to increase the participation of women entrepreneurs in trade missions, fairs and exhibitions.

At the signing ceremony, Foreign Secretary Alicia Bárcena Ibarra highlighted Mexico's feminist foreign policy, saying, "This agreement will provide financial and technical assistance to women entrepreneurs, enabling them to succeed in the digital economy."

She added, "In our rapidly advancing digital world, encouraging and empowering women's participation is extremely important [...] This program offers an extraordinary opportunity for women to share experiences and develop their own small and medium-sized businesses."

Digital platforms can catalyze women's economic and digital inclusion, making public-private partnerships essential. The agreement seeks to digitize and empower women entrepreneurs by using innovative platforms that help democratize digital rights.

"This initiative benefits women participating in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises [...] because we still have a huge gap of about 1.7 billion dollars between MSMEs led by women and those led by men," said the secretary, before thanking Huawei "for helping us bridge the gender digital divide and address the multiple discriminations women continue to face."

The agreement prioritizes indigenous women's inclusion through native-language programs that train them in information technologies and facilitate their integration into the digital economy. Huawei will provide technological devices and digital platform access to women entrepreneurs in rural and indigenous communities.

The agreement marks a significant step forward in providing technical and financial assistance to women entrepreneurs, promoting their economic independence and contributing to inclusive development nationally and regionally.

"I firmly believe that women should be helped to achieve economic autonomy; this is something that we urgently need [...] These technologies can increase women's inclusion in society and modernity. Many of the things that women are doing are part of a labor network, so it is essential to empower them," said the secretary.

Xue Feng, Vice President of Huawei Latin America, said, "We are committed to digital inclusion and women's empowerment. In partnership with the Foreign Ministry, we will enhance the capabilities of Mexico's businesswomen and help them access international markets."

The Foreign Ministry and Huawei jointly recognize that empowering women through education and technology is essential for economic and social progress. Huawei has several global initiatives aimed at narrowing the gender gap and boosting female participation in technology and business.

This collaboration complements existing public-private partnerships established by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, all aimed at reducing inequality. These initiatives include women's economic empowerment through financial inclusion, support networks, access to information and capacity building for international economic activities. They also provide seed capital for women-led productive ventures.

Representing the Foreign Ministry at the event were Rodrigo Morales Castillo, Director General of Global Economic Promotion, and Fernando González Saiffe, Director General for Asia-Pacific. Huawei's delegation included César Funes, Vice President of Public Relations for Latin America; Liu Jiude, General Manager of Huawei Mexico; and Eric Liu, Business Director.

On behalf of the Government of Mexico, the Foreign Ministry reaffirms its commitment to promoting inclusive economic development.