2023 Action Plan for the 21st Century Border Management Initiative
December 1, 2022
Institutional Context
The 21st Century Border Management Initiative is a bilateral cooperation mechanism, whose goal is to improve border security and promote the economic competitiveness of the North American region. The Bilateral Executive Steering Committee (ESC) has generally held annual plenary meetings since the mechanism was launched in 2010.
2023 Action Plan for the 21st Century Border Management Initiative
Within the framework of the XIV Meeting of the Bilateral Executive Committee for Border Administration in the 21st Century, high-level representatives of the Mexican and American Government met at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Mexico, on December 1st. They met in order to strengthen bilateral collaboration on priority issues on their common border. Both nations agreed to work closely on border infrastructure issues; promoting orderly, safe, regular and dignified flows of people and goods; promotion of public safety; and the joint fight against transnational crime. As part of the Mexican delegation, Head of the North American Unit, Roberto Velasco, led the meeting. Representing the United States were Katie Tobin, Special Assistant to President Joe Biden, and Ken Salazar, United States Ambassador to Mexico. Both delegations presented different action plans to guide bilateral work focused on modernizing and expanding Ports of Entry on the common border. Similarly, it was agreed to facilitate trade and passenger flows between Mexico and the United States. In this sense, cooperation in public security in the border region will be strengthened. Furthermore, the two governments will continue to implement strategies to simplify customs and immigration inspections, while reducing the waiting times for crossings.Finally, both nations agreed to strengthen cooperation for the exchange of information on public security and to carry out coordinated activities more efficiently, focused on the prevention of violence and crime on the border.
