The current COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the importance of close collaboration across the globe and sharing of data and knowledge to understand and effectively respond to new threats. To this end, the new MoU establishes the terms under which the signatories will cooperate in prevention and control of communicable diseases.
ECDC Director Dr. Andrea Ammon said:
“I am very pleased to be signing this collaboration agreement between ECDC and the Ministry of Health of Mexico today. The only way towards increased health security globally is through strengthened cooperation and alignment. We welcome Mexico among our closest partners. We are looking forward to working jointly for the benefit and protection of health of all people in Europe and Mexico.”
The Secretary of Health of Mexico, Dr. Jorge Alcocer Varela, highlighted that
“the MoU will strengthen relations with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control on epidemiological surveillance, in addition to promoting actions focused on the benefit of the population. I am sure that the joint effort will allow us to mitigate future health emergencies and, in due course, to avoid catastrophic sanitary issues such as the one we unfortunately suffered due to COVID-19″. He pointed out that, “at this critical point of the pandemic we have found the opportunity to strengthen our cooperation.”
The MoU covers mutual exchange of information, particularly in the event of a public health emergency, envisages consultations on emerging health threats that may affect or concern Mexico or Europe, and provides for more active participation in congresses, conferences, symposia, meetings and scientific workshops organized by the signatories. In addition, it establishes ground for exchanges of personnel as well as educational and teaching materials.
The MoU was signed on 21 June 2021 in a virtually held ceremony by Dr Jorge Alcocer Varela, Secretary of Health of Mexico and Dr Andrea Ammon, Director of ECDC, in the presence of honorary witnesses, Ms Martha Delgado, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, and Ambassador Mauricio Escanero, Head of the Mission of Mexico to the EU.
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