High-level representatives from the governments of the United States and Mexico met in Washington, D.C., on January 24, for the 15th plenary meeting of the 21st Century Border Management Executive Steering Committee (ESC) to continue bilateral collaboration on key issues affecting our shared border.
Discussions focused on key bilateral issues, such as facilitating the legal flow of goods and people, modernizing our border infrastructure, promoting public safety, and combatting transnational crime.
Department of State Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian A. Nichols and Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Blas Nuñez-Neto led the U.S. delegation to the ESC, alongside National Security Council Senior Director for Transborder Affairs Monte Hawkins. Mexican Ambassador to the United States Esteban Moctezuma Barragán led the Mexican delegation along with Roberto Velasco, Chief Officer for North America of the Secretariat of Foreign Relations (SRE), who joined the meeting virtually.
The ESC applauded major binational border achievements during 2023, which included progress on priority border infrastructure modernization projects and joint border security operations. The ESC also adopted 2024 action plans to guide bilateral border-related efforts.
The ESC meeting reaffirmed our shared commitment to accelerating bilateral trade, reducing trade costs, and continuing our multi-year joint U.S.-Mexican border infrastructure modernization implementation efforts.