Published

June 05, 2019

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Thomas J. Donohue, CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Carlos Salazar Lomelín, President, Mexico’s Consejo Coordinador Empresarial, today announced the formation of a partnership to address migration challenges on the border.

Together with the support of their member companies, the U.S. Chamber and CCE will assist both governments in crafting solutions that mitigate the escalating migration crisis and implementing a strategic roadmap in the immediate term. The two organizations issued the following joint-statement about the partnership:

"As leaders of the U.S. and Mexican private sectors, we are committed to enhancing the U.S.-Mexico economic relationship and favor more trade, not tariffs.

"Imposing tariffs on Mexico does not address the root causes of migration and jeopardizes our shared economic interests. The U.S. and Mexican governments must work together with their business communities and their Northern Triangle counterparts to solve the current crisis.

"Our organizations are committed to swift approval of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in our respective legislatures. That cannot be accomplished without first eliminating the tariff threat. We must continue to move the bilateral economic relationship forward through implementation of this landmark agreement, not backwards. 

"As founding members of this partnership, along with the businesses we represent, we are ready to work with the Northern Triangle public and private sectors to find ways to create more jobs and better standards of living across the region."

The partnership will establish a public-private working group dedicated to formulating and advancing concrete and measurable proposals to reduce the current patterns and levels of migration from the Northern Triangle in the short-term through enhancement of regional prosperity and inclusion. The working group will identify and seek funding for key infrastructure and development projects and solicit the support of subject matter experts in regional security, economic development, and migration.

The first partnership meeting is expected to take place in Mexico in the immediate future.

About the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

About the Consejo Coordinador Empresarial

The Consejo Coordinador Empresarial (Business Coordinating Council of Mexico) is the highest representative body of the private sector in the country, bringing together the 12 corporate business organizations, which represent more than 2 thousand associations and approximately 80% of Mexico's GDP. Its mission is to coordinate and represent the organizations of the business sector as the engine of economic and social development in Mexico, promoting productivity, innovation, formal employment and investment.