July 17, 2026 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, concluded a productive day of meetings today with Roberto Velasco, Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs.
Secretary Velasco began his visit in Ottawa with a one-on-one meeting with Minister Anand, followed by a meeting with other government representatives from Canada and Mexico to address shared bilateral priorities under the Canada-Mexico Action Plan (CMAP).
The Minister and the Secretary discussed progress both countries have made under the CMAP, including strengthening coordination on North American economic, trade, security and foreign policy issues, which is essential to the continued delivery of concrete benefits for Canadians and Mexicans.
Minister Anand and Secretary Velasco participated in a joint press conference, where they highlighted significant progress made under the CMAP. The Minister also announced $12.1 million in funding for projects in Mexico and other Latin American countries, which will help advance CMAP priorities
As part of the $12.1 million, she announced Canada’s contribution to the UN Population Fund’s Human Identification Programme—which seeks to support identification efforts in Mexico through technical and scientific innovations—and a $5-million project, TURQUESA II, delivered through the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and INTERPOL. TURQUESA II is aimed at strengthening cooperation among local authorities in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Honduras to combat transnational criminal networks involved in human trafficking and migrant smuggling.
As well, she announced that Canada will work with Mexico to access Canadian satellite technology to detect vessels engaged in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and associated harms. The Dark Vessel Detection program at Fisheries and Oceans Canada includes a $7 million Global Affairs contribution to protect ocean biodiversity and sustainable fisheries livelihoods in coastal communities.
Quick facts
- The Canada-Mexico Action Plan provides a road map to guide collaboration across four shared strategic priorities: prosperity; mobility, inclusivity and well-being; security; and the environment and sustainability.
- In recent months, Canada and Mexico have advanced concrete initiatives to strengthen trade, security, emergency preparedness, innovation and Indigenous partnerships. Cooperation has also deepened on agriculture, energy, health, natural resources and climate action.
Backgrounder: Minister Anand meets with Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs Roberto Velasco, announces projects advancing Canada-Mexico Action Plan
TURQUESA II: Strengthening Regional Cooperation to Combat Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling in the Americas
UN Office on Drugs and Crime and INTERPOL
$5 million
TURQUESA II will strengthen operational cooperation among authorities in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Honduras to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling through enhanced intelligence sharing, joint investigations and regional coordination. Canada’s support will help disrupt transnational criminal networks, identify and protect victims and strengthen regional security cooperation.
Human Identification Programme
United Nations Population Fund
$100 000
This initiative seeks to reduce the number of unidentified persons through technical assistance in dactyloscopy, improved mechanisms for publicizing identified persons and the development of a dignified restitution protocol that actively includes families and search collectives.
Dark Vessel Detection program
$7 million
The Dark Vessel Detection program at Fisheries and Oceans Canada uses Canadian satellite technology to help detect vessels engaged in suspected illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. The current project is being implemented in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama and Peru. This program would contribute to helping Mexico and other countries combat illegal fishing activities and protect biodiversity in protected marine areas.
Photo: Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores