San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Tijuana Mayor Juan Manuel Gastelum signed a formal agreement that codifies the mayors’ pledge to work together to strengthen economic and civic ties.

The agreement was signed on a ceremony held on the steps of the historic Casa de la Cultura in Tijuana on Monday, March 13. The ceremony included the presence of consul general of the United States consulate in Tijuana William A. Ostick, the consul general of the Mexican Consulate General in San Diego Marcela Celorio, and community and business leaders of both sides of the border.

The agreement is a renewal of a Memorandum of Understanding Mayor Faulconer and former Tijuana Mayor Jorge Astiazaran signed in 2014. As a result, department directors from both cities have met regularly to collaborate, resulting in cross-border training for firefighters, art exchanges at libraries and the joint promotion of the economic advantages the San Diego-Tijuana megaregion has to offer.

“Binational cooperation has represented opportunities for the well-being of both communities. We will continue to globally promote this commercial and business megaregion that we have accomplished with sacrifice and mutual support,” Tijuana Mayor said at the ceremony. “Together, we will continue to strengthen and improving the advantages of our solid, competitive, dynamic and safe binational metropolis that we have constructed over the years.”

Last month, Mayor Gastelum alongside other City of Tijuana officials visited the City of San Diego and offered a jointly press conference with Mayor Faulconer to promote the Tijuana-San Diego megaregion.

“San Diego and Tijuana set an example of how two cities can come together across international boundaries for the good of their citizens,” Mayor Faulconer said. “Together, Mayor Gastélum and I will continue to work cooperatively and discuss the issues that matter to our residents such as economic development, border infrastructure, our cross-border culture and public safety. Going forward, it’s important that we continue to have clear and open lines of communication and that is what this agreement will help us accomplish.”

Both mayors will travel to Mexico City on the last days of March to discuss regional projects and border infrastructure with authorities of the federal government as part of their support efforts of the San Diego-Tijuana megaregion. Their trip is part of an annual binational delegation organized by the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. The trip will include over a hundred business and community leaders of the region.