WASHINGTON — Governor Doug Ducey participated in a discussion in Washington, D.C., about how strengthening the economic relationship between the United States and Mexico will bring more jobs, more manufacturing, and greater exporting power to Arizona.
Takeaways from Ducey’s roundtable conversation:
1. “Mexico Is Arizona’s Largest Trading Partner Times Four. It’s Not Even Close.” “Mexico is Arizona’s largest trading partner times four. It’s not even close. And I thought upon election that this should be my first visit as the chief executive of the state, and we were welcomed by Ambassador Wayne when we went down there. And now, I’ll tell you, that was an eye-opener to me.”
2. “When We Did Go Down To Mexico City, I Was So Pleasantly Surprised By The Welcoming Spirit And The Hospitality That We Received.” “Mexico is our partner. It’s Arizona’s neighbor. We share a border. Governor Paul Fannin, years before I ever came into office, said God made us neighbors so let’s be good neighbors, and we’ve even expanded that and said, ‘You know, we’re more than neighbors. Neighbors can move.’ We can’t. When we did go down to Mexico City, I was so pleasantly surprised by the welcoming spirit and the hospitality that we received.”
3. “I Don’t Think There’s Any Substituent For These Visits.” “I think we were able to meet with eight or nine cabinet secretaries in the federal government. Since, I’ve had five meetings with the equivalent of the secretary of state of Mexico. My wife Angela and I attended the inauguration of Governor Claudia Pavlovich, who is the first female governor in the history of Mexico. We’ve been to Hermosillo several times. She’s been to Arizona several times, including this past Christmas. Her and her husband Sergio came and spent time with Angela and I just don’t think, just as the congressman said, I don’t think there’s any substituent for these visits, for bringing delegations.”
4. “This Is A Model That Other States Can Follow.” “To me, I think that is Step 1—that there is a trust that is built through that, there’s relationships and friendships that happen. We not only did it with government leaders, of course. We brought a business delegation. We brought an academic delegation. And I think this is a model that other states can follow, and I think the more relationships and friendships we build across the border, it helps us solve some of the very real issues that we do have. But trade is not one of them. Trade is one not a problem to solve. It’s an issue to focus on and expand.”
