August 7, 2016
- #OneBorder Meeting Notes: Washington, D.C., June 16, 2016
- #OneBorder Meeting Notes: Las Vegas, March 11, 2016
The Chamber led two panel discussions at the 2016 U.S.-Mexico Border Summit held in El Paso, TX and Ciudad Juarez, MX. The first panel focused on #OneBorder – a unified coalition of border stakeholders that have united with the purpose of promoting the U.S.-Mexico economic and political relationship as one singular force. The coalition has met twice this year and is growing in both size and momentum. The panel featured border economy experts:
- Adriana Eguia, Executive Director of CaliBaja Bi-National Mega-Region,
- Marisa Walker, Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning & Infrastructure at Arizona Commerce Authority,
- Rolando Pablos, CEO of The BorderPlex Alliance, and
- Mike Gonzalez, Executive Director of United Brownsville.
If there was ever a time for increased collaboration among the communities who know the border best, it is now, as we see the perception-versus-reality gap has widened due to a misinformed national conversation. The #OneBorder coalition is providing the platform for a border-wide binational collaboration that will create a strong, unified message and support for one another. When our border is united, effective advocacy with political leaders in both countries will follow.
The summit highlighted a frank conversation between U.S. Ambassador Roberta Jacobson and Mexican Ambassador Carlos Sada about the border’s critical role in the dynamic relationship between both nations. Additional topics discussed at the summit were: regional planning, balancing trade and security, innovation and entrepreneurship, manufacturing, quality of life, and creating a competitive workforce along the border.