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Strengthening North American Ties - A Must For Competitiveness
"Strengthening North American Ties - A Must For Competitiveness," is a series of essays by the Wilson Center's Mexico and Canada Institutes providing examples of policy and practical collaboration across the continent that can help better address many of the shared challenges faced by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Authors from the public sector, private sector, and academia argue that much can be gained from serious reflection and solid cooperative actions amongst the three countries.
Earl Anthony Wayne
Former Career Ambassador to Afghanistan, Argentina, and Mexico; Distinguished Diplomat in Residence, School of International Service, American University
![Earl Anthony Wayne](/sites/default/files/styles/square/public/media/images/person/wilson_photo_feb_2018.jpg)
The United States produces more with its neighbors that with any other countries in the world. More than two million dollars of trade crosses the US-Canada and the US-Mexico borders each minute.
Colin Robertson
![Colin Robertson](/sites/default/files/styles/square/public/media/uploads/images/thumbnail_image.png)
The North American idea that, unlike the European Union concept, acknowledges the three sovereign nations, while reinforcing their collaboration in the “spirit of community based on interdependence.” This approach still makes a lot of sense and good progress can be made now.
Guillermo Jasson
President, CrossFields Capital
![Guillermo Jasson](/sites/default/files/styles/square/public/media/uploads/images/guillermo-jasson.jpg)
When put together, Canada, Mexico and the US have all the right ingredients to be a competitive source of manufacturing to serve North America.
Íñigo Fernández Baptista
![Íñigo Fernández Baptista](/sites/default/files/styles/square/public/media/uploads/images/Inigo%20Fernandez%20%281%29.jpg)
Undoubtedly, one of the greatest lessons that the pandemic has left is the importance of connectivity to keep economic activities running.
Carlos Pascual
![Carlos Pascual](/sites/default/files/styles/square/public/media/uploads/images/640px-Carlos_Pascual.jpg)
The opportunities are glaringly clear for near-shoringnear shoring in Mexico the production of electric vehicles, electronic products, textiles, and many other forms of manufacturing.
Antonio Ortiz-Mena
![Antonio Ortiz Mena](/sites/default/files/styles/square/public/media/uploads/images/Lila-%20foto%20AOM.jpeg)
More than a grand vision for North American integration, what is needed now on the economic front is for Canada, Mexico, and the US to is to comply with the letter and spirit of the USMCA. Pacta sunt servanda – agreements must be kept!
Matthew Rooney
![Picture of Matt Rooney](/sites/default/files/styles/square/public/media/uploads/images/RooneyMatt-1.jpg)
By implementing well USMCA and then linking it with CAFTA, we have an opportunity to boost our own prosperity as well as that of our neighbors, while at the same time blunting China’s efforts to undermine our prosperity and drive wedges between us and our regional allies.
Alvaro Santos
![Headshot of Alvaro Santos](/sites/default/files/styles/square/public/media/uploads/images/as824-200x300_0.png)
Enforcement of labor rights cannot rely solely on an improved dispute resolution mechanism -even if it was entirely reciprocal. We need to reinvigorate processes of detection, monitoring and remediation that could take place in the shadow of dispute resolution.
Alan D. Bersin
Assistant Secretary for International Affairs and Chief Diplomatic Officer for the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Policy, and Vice President of INTERPOL for the Americas Region
![Alan D. Bersin](/sites/default/files/styles/square/public/media/images/person/alan_bersin.jpg)
How often do we need to remind Americans that 12 million American jobs are supported by trade between the US, Mexico and Canada.
Tom Long
![Tom Long](/sites/default/files/styles/square/public/media/uploads/images/img_1327_2%20%281%29.jpg)
To meet the moment, North America needs to be a regional, political vision to buttress its integrated production capacities, shape fair and efficient markets, and tackle shared problems.
Magdalena Carral
Partner, Carral, Sierra y Asociados S.C.
![Magdalena Carral](/sites/default/files/styles/square/public/media/uploads/images/Screenshot-2020-09-18-203514.jpg)
We can expect to see continued nearshoring, “friend-shoring,” and new opportunities for Mexico to promote active economic development.
Jerry Haar
Professor of International Business and Executive Director for the Americas, College of Business, Florida International University
![Jerry Haar](/sites/default/files/styles/square/public/media/uploads/images/Jerry_Haar_350.jpg)
Canada, Mexico, and the US—individually and collectively—possess assets that can contribute to a significantly more competitive North America.
Mark Agnew
![Mark Agnew](/sites/default/files/styles/square/public/media/uploads/images/CCC_Mark%20Agnew%20%281%29%20%281%29.jpg)
We need to – and must - breathe new life in border cooperation as North America’s economies are dependent on fluid trade between neighbors.
José Antonio Meade
![José Antonio Meade](/sites/default/files/styles/square/public/media/uploads/images/FotoJAMK2.jpg)
Nearshoring and investment in infrastructure, including energy, without a doubt represents a chance for the region to thrive, but this time, we also need to invest in our human infrastructure: education, especially for marginalized regions, is an important precondition.
Laurie Trautman
Director, Border Policy Research Institute, Western Washington University
![Laurie Trautman](/sites/default/files/styles/square/public/media/images/person/laurietrautman_4x5x96_web_cropped.jpg)
This is not a utopian vision. It is a business case for the immense value of facilitating billions of dollars of goods, millions of travelers, and countless industries and communities that depend on the efficiency of our shared borders.
Sergio Alcocer
![Alcocer](/sites/default/files/styles/square/public/media/uploads/images/SM_Alcocer.jpg)
Failing to seize the huge potential that exists in clean, renewable energy would be unforgivable.
Inu Manak
![Inu Manak](/sites/default/files/styles/square/public/media/uploads/images/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-11%20at%209.37.01%20AM.png)
Canada, Mexico, and the United States should strive to include ideas from all segments of the North American economy, and they should provide regular reports on all regulatory cooperation activities so that the economic impact of these initiatives can be objectively evaluated.
Juan Carlos Baker
![Juan Carlos Baker](/sites/default/files/styles/square/public/media/uploads/images/WhatsApp%20Image%202022-04-05%20at%2010.12.42%20AM.jpeg)
If we are to think about strong and resilient supply chains, building bridges between Asia and North America, Mexico can play a vital role in connecting and cementing together the ends of the supply chains on the shores of the Pacific Ocean.