EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) — The State of Arizona is strengthening ties with its biggest trading partner through the planned opening of two business offices in Mexico later this year.
The new trade and investment office in Guanajuato will help Arizona companies crack into the supply chain of a thriving automotive-assembly market — as well as into agrobusiness — in a region of Mexico known as “El Bajio” (The Lowlands). The new Chihuahua state office will be a door to a robust aerospace parts and manufacturing center south of the border that includes suppliers for Honeywell and Bell Helicopter, Arizona officials say.
Both offices, as well as one that opened in Mexico City in 2014, will be run by the Arizona Commerce Authority. Funding is included in the 2020 state budget.
“These new trade offices, along with the recent ratification of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement will further advance our relationship with Mexico,” Gov. Doug Ducey said.
Trade between Arizona and Mexico reached $16.69 billion in 2018, accounting for 37.1% of Arizona’s total international trade. Trade between these two partners has increased by 18.3% between 2013 and 2018, according to Ducey’s office.
Chihuahua Gov. Javier Corral said his staff has been working with Arizona since March of last year to make the trade mission a reality. He said the relationship can be beneficial for Mexico, too, as it represents an opportunity to boost tourism and provide professional services in Mexico for Arizona businesses.
He said commerce between his state and Arizona is on the upswing, as evidenced by a recent new daily flight from Phoenix to Chihuahua City operated by American Airlines since Dec. 18.
“The strong economy of Chihuahua continues to bear fruit, bringing about investment and generating jobs for the benefit of our people,” Corral said.
Ania Espinoza will manage Arizona’s trade office in Chihuahua. She previously managed the aerospace industrial cluster for the State of Chihuahua. Mauricio Zereno has been named head of the Guanajuato office. He has worked with the State of Guanajuato in the past, helping automotive, mining and agricultural businesses export their products.
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