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Mexico Business Center Update

By James Clark, Mexico Business Center Director General

Mexico's Secretariat of Economy and the United States Department of Commerce have asked the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce Mexico Business Center to convene a "United States-Mexico Border Efficiency Conference" for the San Diego/Baja California Region. 

The purpose of the meeting is to bring together federal, state and municipal authorities from both sides of the border, plus the private sector and other stakeholders to make specific recommendations on reducing the wait times at border crossings between Baja California and California, both short term and long term.  The conference, to be held in San Diego from 9:00am to 2:30pm, Friday, February 8, 2008, at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice, is under the auspices of the "Security and Prosperity Initiative" of Presidents Bush and Calderon. 

The results of our conference will be presented to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez and Mexico Secretary of the Economy Eduardo Sojo in Los Cabos at the end of February.   Then the program is scheduled to be an action item part of the summit in April among Presidents Bush and Calderon and Prime Minister Harper. 

There are three other crossings between the United States and Mexico that will be under consideration and making similar requests.  The others have a much simpler task (e.g. El Paso/Ciudad Juarez) as they involve essentially one set of crossings.  In California, we need a system of secure and efficient border crossings to make our regional economy more productive. 

There are five major current or proposed border crossing areas between our states: San Ysidro/El Chaparral, Cross Border Terminal (proposed), Otay Mesa I and II (planned), Tecate and Mexicali/Calexico. 

A joint session will open the conference and then break down into area-specific groups to make recommendations on each individual crossing or set of crossings with the stakeholder organizations most directly involved with these programs in charge.   We need to bring in the best thinking for short-term and long-term solutions to reduce the waits that damage our joint economies.  The conference is by invitation only. 

In other news, Jorge Garcés, Managing Director and CEO of the North American Development Bank will speak at the joint MBC/CEM First Wednesday Breakfast at 8:00am on February 6, 2008, in the Chamber’s Board Room. The North American Development Bank (NADB) is a binational financial institution capitalized and governed equally by the United States and Mexico for the purpose of financing environmental projects certified by the Border Environment Cooperation Commission. The two institutions work together with communities and project sponsors in both countries to develop and finance infrastructure necessary for a clean and healthy environment for border residents. NADB is an international financial institution capitalized and governed equally by the United States and Mexico for the purpose of developing infrastructure along the U.S.-Mexico border region.

Jorge C. Garcés was appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the North American Development Bank (NADB) in October 2005 after having served as its Deputy Managing Director since April 2001.  With more than 30 years experience in dealing with Texas-Mexico issues, he has served in the administrations of four former Texas governors as the staff authority on Texas-Mexico relations and border issues. Prior to joining NADB, Mr. Garcés was the Mexico & Border Affairs Manager for the Office of the Texas Secretary of State, where he assisted the Secretary of State in dealing with Mexico and the border region in matters related to environment, infrastructure, trade, transportation, immigration and health, among other key issues.  The cost for SDRCC members to attend is $15.00.  For information and reservations, call (619) 544-1362.

The San Diego/Baja California Mission to Mexico III is planned for April 7-10, 2008. This will be an opportunity for participants to meet with governmental and business leaders in the Mexican capital.   For information and reservations, contact me at (619) 544-1376.