Policy Leaders Forum: Mexican Amb. Martha Bárcena Coqui
Martha Bárcena Coqui, the first woman ambassador of Mexico to the United States, was the featured guest at the Policy Leaders Forum at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University on January 31, 2020 for a discussion entitled, “Challenges of US-Mexico Relations.”
The event was part of the Policy Leaders Forum series at the Pardee School that brings senior international policymakers to Boston University for important policy conversations with guests including faculty, students and experts from across Boston University. This event was co-hosted with the Center for Latin American Studies, an affiliate center of the Pardee School and hosted by Center Director Prof. Adela Pineda, who welcomed the Ambassador on behalf of the Pardee School. The dinner discussion was attended by guests as well as faculty and students from the Pardee School, from across Boston University and from other area universities.
The Mexican Ambassador highlighted the opportunities as well as the challenges in the current relationship between these two important North American neighbors and also elaborated on the areas of cooperation. Key among the many issues are concerns about trade and about immigration. She also responded to questions from the guests.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador appointed Bárcena as Ambassador of Mexico to the United States in December 2018. Ambassador Bárcena joined the Mexican Foreign Service in 1979. Prior to arriving in Washington, D.C., she was posted as Permanent Representative to the United Nations Rome-based Agencies. She has also served as Ambassador of Mexico to the Republic of Turkey and to the Kingdom of Denmark. On the multilateral level, Ambassador Bárcena has represented Mexico as a delegate at the UN, UNESCO, and the OAS as well as head of delegation at the Forum on Migration and Development.
The Policy Leaders @BUPardeeSchool series brings senior international policymakers to Boston University for conversations with faculty, students and guests. Previous speakers in the series have included Senator Daniel Coats, the United States Director for National Intelligence; Dr. Rukakana Rugunda, Prime Minister of Uganda; Steve Beshear, the former Governor of Kentucky; Dr. Woo Yoon-keun, Secretary General on the National Assembly of South Korea; and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).