The United States and Mexico agreed to work on supply chains for semiconductors on Thursday. After high-level economic talks in Washington, top Mexican officials said the two also agreed to invest in social programs to tackle migration.
At the so-called High-Level Economic Dialogue (HLED), which was held for the first time in several years, the two countries signaled they need greater cooperation. That is, in terms of combating challenges of climate change and workers’ rights.
In a statement, the Mexican government said that they will both create a bilateral working group on supply chains.
Aside from aiming to improve the resilience of cross border trade and manufacturing, the working group will also seek to attract production lines from other parts of the world.
At a news conference in Washington, Mexican Economy Minister Tatiana Clouthier said Mexico discussed the need to sit down with industries or companies. That is to be able to detail the components of semiconductors to tell what parts would be manufactured in Mexico or the United States, she said.
In Mexico’s statement, it said that the U.S. agreed to provide technical support including collaborations with Mexico. That will be on Sembrando Vida, its forestation program to provide work and support agriculture. Moreover, that will also be on Jovenes Construyendo el Futuro, a job scheme for 18-to-29-year-olds in Central America and southern Mexico aimed at offering alternatives to migration.
Remain in Mexico Policy
According to Mexico Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard, the two governments did not discuss the reactivation of the U.S. “remain in Mexico” policy. The policy is formally called the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program. Ebrard spoke at the press conference in Washington alongside Clouthier.
Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court disapproved President Joe Biden’s bid to rescind the policy.
Ebrard said that the issue of MPP was not discussed in the dialogue. One of the pillars of the talks includes the border, he said. And on that, several infrastructure projects on the border were raised, he added.
The minister also said there will be a meeting between the U.S. President Joe Biden and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. No date however, has been defined.
Ebrard and Clouthier led Mexico’s delegation, while U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris led U.S. talks. Also in attendance among others was U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
