WASHINGTON – Greetings from the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s Washington, D.C. fly-in. I’m here this week with over 20 Chamber board and staff members visiting with our Capitol Hill delegation and key agencies about the top federal issues facing Arizona’s job creators.
We had the opportunity yesterday to visit with ProMexico, the investment promotion arm for Mexico.
Arizona and Mexico: Friends, neighbors and trade partners
ProMéxico in 2015 opened a new office in Phoenix to serve our region. The agency considered a number of other locations, but landed on Phoenix because of Arizona’s close relationship with Mexico.
Credit Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton and Gov. Doug Ducey who have each worked hard to cultivate a strong relationship centered on friendship and a mutually beneficial cross-border commercial relationship.
Need proof that are our economies are intertwined? Lucid Motors recently cited the integrated supply chain of Arizona and Sonora as a reason for choosing Pinal County as the home of its next investment. Our proximity to Mexico increases our competitiveness, it doesn’t dampen it.
Rhetoric that matches reality
It’s incumbent upon all of us who value and appreciate the importance of the Arizona-Mexico relationship to get the word out about how fortunate we are to share a border with Mexico. So many countries around the world would gladly trade their border relationships for ours.
There is a true desire and need for good, reliable information about trade generally and trade with Mexico specifically. Arizona is a winner with trade. We maintain a trade surplus with our neighbor. Unfortunately, much of the rhetoric would have you believe otherwise, which is why it’s important to share the real story not only with elected officials, but across Arizona, from the small businesses who figures into the cross-border supply chain, to the consumer who benefits from increased choice and competition.
This important conversation is taking place here in Washington this week, as we carry the message to our congressional delegation that we ought to look to modernize and strengthen our relationship with Mexico, such as via an updated North American Free Trade Agreement; not disengage from our friend and neighbor.
