The mayors of San Diego and Tijuana were part of a delegation visiting Mexico City this week to meet with top Mexican government officials and agencies in the most recent effort to promote our binational megaregion.

The U.S. Delegation was led by San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, and San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jerry Sanders.

During a press conference, Faulconer spoke about how San Diego is working together with Tijuana to strengthen cross-border trade.

“We need to keep pressuring our federal governments to improve border infrastructure, provide officers to maintain efficient and safe crossings, attract more investment to our region, and protect our shared environment… there is no doubt that things get done when San Diego and Tijuana work together,” said the Mayor.

Both mayors met with different Mexican federal agencies over the course of the day to advocate for better border crossings and border infrastructure, address priority issues such as immigration and the environment, and promote binational tourism and cuisine.

This is the 12th annual mission by the binational delegation to promote the Cali-Baja mega region, which generates more than $200 billion per year in economic activity and is considered one of the largest in the world.

The Mayor of Tijuana, Juan Manuel Gastelum, indicated that the San Diego-Tijuana region is a global development hub, and that the ties between the two cities are stronger today more than ever, thanks to the relationships fostered by working together each and every day.

“I want to reiterate that my Administration will be an ally, is an ally, that together with all of you will continue building partnerships to consolidate this strong, competitive, dynamic, and thriving binational megaregion we have built over the years,” said the Mayor of Tijuana.

Gastelum stressed that binational companies are creating jobs that employ people on both sides of the border, and the purpose [of the mission] is to help these businesses grow and increase cross-border commerce.

“This trip and our mission as champions for cross-border commerce are more important than ever,” said Jerry Sanders, President and CEO of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. “Our region is a national model for successful cross-border commerce and it is critical that we bring the voice of our region’s business community to leaders in Mexico City to facilitate collaboration and to keep moving forward with the projects and policies necessary for economic growth.”

Some of the priorities for this year’s delegation include: promoting cross-border commerce and supporting trade agreements that foster a shared economy between the U.S. and Mexico; enhancing efficient border infrastructure, in particular Otay East, PedWest, and the Cross-Border railroad; and leveraging the Cali-Baja Region for increased tourism.

On his official Facebook page, the Mayor of Tijuana shared pictures of the meetings both mayors had with Luis Videgaray, Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and commented that said Secretary had praised the successful sisterhood between the cities of San Diego and Tijuana.

As of Monday, meetings had been confirmed with the Tax Administration Service Director, the Undersecretary of Environmental Planning and Policy of Mexico’s Federal Environmental Protection Agency (SEMARNAT), the Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for North America, the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, the Office of Immigration and Religious Affairs at the Secretariat of the Interior, the Director of the Mexican Institute on Competitiveness, the Undersecretary of Foreign Trade, as well as with Mexican federal senators and representatives.