U.S.-Mexico Discuss Border Issues at Recent Merida Initiative Meeting
On March 23, 2010, Secretary of State Clinton met with Mexican Foreign Secretary Espinosa for the Merida U.S.-Mexico High Level Consultative Group meeting.
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(The four strategic areas of cooperation under the Merida Initiative are (i) create a 21st century border, (ii) disrupt organized criminal groups, (iii) strengthen institutions, and (iv) build strong and resilient communities in the U.S. and Mexico.)
Highlights of U.S.-Mexico Border Management Initiatives
The State Department has issued a press release on the new border vision under the U.S.-Mexico partnership. The U.S. and Mexican governments have launched a range of initiatives that challenge the traditional view of "hold the line" and are developing a framework for a new vision of 21st century border management. Highlights of the new framework applicable to trade include:
Separating hi-risk from low-risk cargo - The central challenge in managing flows of people and goods is to separate high-risk travelers and cargo from low-risk ones. Tools that help prevent illegitimate trade and travel while expediting legitimate trade and travel include implementing complementary risk management strategies in both countries, establishing a bi-national "model port" to share information on goods and people, and improving trusted traveler and shipper programs.
Lanes for pre-cleared rail and truck goods - Both the U.S. and Mexico need to work with the private sector to encourage investment in the people, technology, and infrastructure that comprise a 21st century border. Secure transit lanes for pre-cleared rail and truck shipments as well as passenger pre-clearance programs are two tools that could make cross border trade and travel more efficient.
Crime and drugs - The protection of Mexican and U.S. citizens from the criminal organizations responsible for the traffic in people, drugs, arms, and money across the common land border is a key priority for both countries. In addition to the bilateral Merida Initiative programs currently underway, the U.S. and Mexico must develop joint strategies for key smuggling and trafficking corridors along with regular sharing of information on investigations, prosecutions, and screening practices.
Border communities - Continuing to engage border communities, as well as state, local, and tribal governments in bi-national strategy development, law enforcement, and communications, is essential to collaborative border management.
Policy-setting - Both the U.S. and Mexico need to reinvigorate their policy-setting architecture to address the statutory, regulatory, systems, and infrastructure changes needed to realize our new vision of collaborative border management.
State Dept press release on new border vision (dated 03/23/10) available at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/03/138926.htm.
State Dept press release on anti-arms trafficking, anti-money laundering (dated 03/23/10) available at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/03/138924.htm.
State Dept press release on U.S.-Mexico security partnership (dated 03/23/10) available at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/03/138929.htm.