BY TODD SANDERS
View original post in the Consular Newsletter.
Arizona committed to diversifying its economy after the Great Recession of the early 2000s, when Arizona
was impacted longer and harder than most states in the country. As part of the state’s plan to diversify, the
city of Phoenix opened trade offices in Mexico in 2014, allowing Phoenix and the state of Arizona to further
position themselves as trailblazers for international trade.
Through the U.S–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA), Arizona has been able to look forward to positive signs
of progress, such as 228,300 net Arizona jobs supported by trade with Mexico and Canada, $20.4 billion in total
trade with USMCA markets and $800 million in annual agricultural exports to Canada and Mexico by Arizona
farmers.
Being the leader of one of the largest chambers in the country, I know firsthand how important our relationship with Mexico is for local businesses.
There is no question that without a strong partnership, Phoenix and Arizona business owners would not have the exposure and resources that Mexico, one of the world’s largest markets, provides. For Arizona’s small and medium-sized business owners, this relationship has provided them with the resources they need to break into foreign markets such as Mexico.
Mexico is Arizona’s strongest trade partner, which means that Mexico’s growth is also an opportunity for businesses on both sides of the border to grow. Therefore, it is imperative for all local business owners to continue to work together to ensure our combined success. By continuing to be good neighbors, we also can do great business.