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-Editorial
More than 110 business and community leaders from San Diego and Baja California are in Mexico City this week as part of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce’s 19th Annual Binational Delegation, aiming to strengthen U.S.-Mexico relations and address issues critical to the binational business community.
The delegation, the largest in the Chamber’s history, began Monday and continues through Wednesday, Oct. 15. Members are meeting with Mexican officials and leaders to discuss priorities including water management, infrastructure, tourism, and regional economic development.
“This delegation is essential to strengthening our regional economy,” said Chris Cate, president and CEO of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. “These conversations give us the chance to advocate directly for priorities that matter most to our region’s businesses and families. When we show up as a united, binational delegation, it underscores the unique role our region plays in driving prosperity and opportunity across Cali-Baja.”
Participants include elected officials and leaders from both sides of the border, such as Baja California Senator Gustavo Sánchez Vásquez; Congressmembers Ana Erika Santana González, Gilberto Herrera Solórzano, and Rocío López Gorosave; San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria; Tijuana Mayor Ismael Burgueño; Chula Vista Mayor John McCann; Coronado Mayor John Duncan; and National City Mayor Ron Morrison. City council members, economic development officials, and water authorities from the region are also taking part.
Mayor Gloria said the delegation allows officials to advocate for trade policies and address pressing cross-border challenges, including the ongoing Tijuana River Valley sewage crisis.
“This year’s visit is particularly important as we continue promoting bilateral trade along the Cali-Baja megaregion ahead of the USMCA review,” said Alicia Kerber-Palma, Consul General of Mexico in San Diego.
Tijuana Mayor Burgueño emphasized the delegation’s role in reinforcing institutional ties and promoting infrastructure and regional development projects, saying, “Our objectives are clear: to solidify our strategic relationship with the private sector of our neighboring country and work together for the benefit of Tijuana and the binational region.”
The delegation’s agenda includes meetings with Mexico’s Secretariat of Foreign Affairs, the Senate, the National Water Commission, NADBank, and tourism officials from Mexico and Baja California. Delegates are also discussing collaborative strategies to advance economic growth and sustainable development in the border region.
Monday morning, the Chamber hosted a live press conference featuring Cate, Gloria, Burgueño, and Kerber-Palma to discuss the delegation’s ongoing efforts. The San Diego Regional Chamber is the only chamber leading annual binational delegation trips to both Washington, D.C., and Mexico City, highlighting its continued role in fostering cross-border collaboration.