EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – Mexican enterprise leaders are taking the initiative to strengthen ties with their American counterparts in anticipation of adjustments led to by the incoming Trump administration.
The Juarez Chamber of Commerce and numerous Mexican commerce organizations are spearheading the Binational Enterprise Discussion board on Wednesday, Jan. 15, on the Blue Flame Constructing in Downtown El Paso. A couple of dozen mayors from either side of the border have been invited to take part.
In a Zoom name on Friday, the Mexican enterprise leaders spoke in regards to the financial interdependence between Juarez and El Paso and different “borderplexes” from Brownsville-Matamoros to San Diego-Tijuana.
When the longer term president of the USA threatens – or bluffs – about imposing tariffs on Mexico if it doesn’t rein in unlawful migration to the U.S., jobs are threatened on either side, chamber officers mentioned.
However the daylong convention will give attention to the constructive: Strengthening ties to broaden enterprise alternatives and collectively face any challenges that may come.
“The target of the boards is to encourage dialogue between entrepreneurs from Mexico and the USA,” mentioned Octavio de la Torre de Steffano, president of the Mexican Confederation of Chambers of Commerce. “The purpose is, inside the framework of the USMCA, establish alternatives for development and strengthen commerce, providers and tourism networks.”
The Mexican enterprise chief mentioned it will be out-of-line for governments to make main financial choices with out enter from the enterprise group. “It’s true that treaties are negotiated by overseas ministries and ratified by parliaments, however these treaties make no sense if the principal actors within the financial system usually are not represented,” he mentioned.
De la Torre mentioned the gathering in El Paso is one in every of 5 being held alongside border states the week previous to Trump’s inauguration. The others are in Tijuana, Nogales, Matamoros and Monterrey.
He mentioned Mexican and U.S. enterprise leaders in “sister metropolis” communities talk frequently, however there’s a have to institutionalize the dialogue.
Every discussion board is predicted to get conversations began on matters of mutual curiosity for the respective sister cities.
Elizabeth Villalobos, president of the Juarez Chamber of Commerce, mentioned strengthening ties with El Paso is a precedence. However there are additionally points that should be introduced up.
At Friday’s Zoom name, she talked about considerations from Juarez enterprise pursuits to a U.S. plan to ban business vehicles from the Bridge of the Americas in El Paso.
“We’ve been combating – not simply the chamber however the individuals and all the opposite chambers – towards the closure of the ‘Free Bridge’ to commerce,” Villalobos mentioned. “That closure would influence us quite a bit, economically, as a consequence of getting to go round El Paso, Texas, to different crossings. That’s one of many factors we’re going to (elevate) on the discussion board.”
El Paso native and federal officers have been listening to residents close to the border crossing about how truck visitors impacts their high quality of life. A multimillion-dollar renovation of the construction proposes to excludes such truck visitors sooner or later.
The Metropolis of El Paso mentioned its Financial Division director and workers can be attending the assembly. A metropolis spokesperson additionally confirmed that El Paso’s new mayor, Renard Johnson, would attend.
