respectively.E/1986/3/Add.l3 page 8 26. In 1986, as a result of a series of adverse factors, chief among them influences from outside the country and the unavailability of foreign loans, the GDP again decreased but to a smaller extent - 3.8%. In 1987, however, an increase of 1.4% was recorded. In line with these developments permanent employment grew at a slower rate in 1986 (2.6%) but picked up considerably in 1987 with an increase of 6.9% over the year. 27. Real wages also behaved in a similar way to the GDP and permanent employment. The purchasing power of wages has imdergone a considerable reduction, which it has been possible to alleviate by revising wage scales more frequently and implementing programmes for protecting consumers. 6. Evolution of social welfare 28. Schemes carried out by the Mexican Government have helped improve the working conditions, income and welfare of the workers. The Federal Government has implemented various projects in regard to employment and the training of workers. In 1983 Regional Employment Programmes were launched which over a period of five years created 1.2 million temporary jobs. A prominent feature of these programmes was the provision of training grants for workers, aimed at enrolling those who lost their jobs in a training scheme with a money grant. In four years' operation of the programme 121,694 persons had the benefit of courses mainly designed for self-employment and for technical jobs in the formal sector of the economy. Similarly, the Mexican (k)vernment, with the co-operation of the World Bank, has launched a project aimed at meeting the needs for skilled labour. 29. The Department of Labour and Social Insurance has concentrated in its activities to promote employment on serving as intermediary between those offering and those seeking work through work placement services which now 
**Analysis**
The text primarily discusses the economic situation of Mexico, specifically the GDP, employment rates, and social welfare programs implemented by the government. It highlights the impact of external factors on the country's economy and the measures taken to address the issues. The text does not mention natural resources, agriculture, forestry, fishing, or humanitarian aid.

**Category**
Employment, Economic development