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JOINT DECLARATION XXI
BORDER GOVERNORS CONFERENCE THE
GOVERNORS OF THE STATES OF ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, NEW MEXICO AND TEXAS OF
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND THE GOVERNORS OF THE STATES OF BAJA
CALIFORNIA, CHIHUAHUA, COAHUILA, NUEVO LEON, SONORA AND TAMAULIPAS OF
THE UNITED MEXICAN STATES, MEETING IN THE CITY OF CHIHUAHUA, CHIHUAHUA,
ON AUGUST 7 - 8, 2003, HAVING ANALYZED, IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE XXI
CONFERENCE OF UNITED STATES-MEXICO BORDER GOVERNORS, THE TOPICS RELATING
TO AGRICULTURE, BORDER CROSSINGS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION,
ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH, BORDER SECURITY AND TOURISM; AND WHEREASTHE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE UNITED MEXICAN STATES ARE TWO SOVEREIGN
AND INDEPENDENT NATIONS, EACH WITH ITS OWN CLEAR IDENTITY; THESE
SOVEREIGN NATIONS SHARE A BORDER OF NEARLY TWO THOUSAND MILES, AS WELL
AS COMMON VALUES AND A VISION FOR THE PROSPERITY OF THE BORDER REGION; THE
UNITED STATES-MEXICO BORDER REGION IS ONE OF THE MOST DYNAMIC REGIONS OF
THE WORLD, WHERE THE BORDER IS NOT A LINE THAT DIVIDES OUR COUNTRIES BUT
A BOND THAT UNITES US AND INVITES US TO WORK TOGETHER FOR MUTUAL
BENEFIT; CURRENT
INTERNATIONAL CONDITIONS HAVE MAGNIFIED THE STRATEGIC ROLE OF THE BORDER
REGION AND COMPELLED US TO COOPERATE MORE FULLY THAN EVER WITH BOTH
FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS TO ENSURE GREATER SECURITY AND EFFICIENCY ON THE
BORDER; PRESIDENTS
GEORGE W. BUSH AND VICENTE FOX QUESADA ESTABLISHED A BILATERAL ACTION
PLAN TO MODERNIZE THE CROSSINGS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO TO
ACHIEVE A "SMART BORDER;" THE
TEN STATES COMPRISING THE UNITED STATES-MEXICO BORDER REGION HAVE
COLLABORATED THROUGH THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE BORDER GOVERNORS
CONFERENCE FOR TWO DECADES; THE
TWO NATIONS, UNITED AS NEVER BEFORE BY COMMON INTERESTS AND OPEN
DIALOGUE, ARE DETERMINED TO SEIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE
UNPRECEDENTED BILATERAL COOPERATION; THE
BORDER STATES REAFFIRM THEIR COMMITMENT TO OPEN ECONOMIES AND SOCIAL
ADVANCEMENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE REGION; THE
BORDER REGION POSSESSES INHERENT COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES AND ECONOMIC
SYNERGIES THAT ENABLE JOINT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THEREBY INCREASING
TRADE AND FOSTERING REGIONAL INTEGRATION; GIVEN
THE RAPID SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC GROWTH OF THE BORDER REGION,
WE MUST ASSURE A STABLE ENERGY SUPPLY, FOLLOWING THE PRINCIPLES OF
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND APPROPRIATE DISTRIBUTION; BOTH
NATIONS RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO INVEST IN MODERN AND EFFICIENT
INFRASTRUCTURE AT THEIR PORTS OF ENTRY TO INCREASE SECURITY AND
STRENGTHEN COMMERCIAL EXCHANGE ALONG THE BORDER; THE
BORDER REGION MUST WORK TO FACILITATE SAFE AND EFFICIENT CROSS-BORDER
MOVEMENT OF GOODS, SERVICES AND PEOPLE, WITH RESPECT FOR HUMAN DIGNITY; THE
TEN BORDER STATES, AWARE OF CONSTANTLY CHANGING FEDERAL REGULATIONS THAT
HINDER FLUID COMMERCIAL EXCHANGE, WILL COORDINATE EFFORTS TO IMPROVE
BORDER CROSSING CONDITIONS; THE
BORDER STATES UNITE IN THE DESIRE TO STRENGTHEN BILATERAL, CROSS-BORDER
EMERGENCY RESPONSE EFFORTS TO RESPOND TO TERRORIST ACTS, NATURAL
DISASTERS AND OTHER HAZARDS THAT THREATEN THE SECURITY OF OUR REGION'S
INHABITANTS; THE
BORDER STATES, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS AND THE
PRIVATE SECTOR, SHARE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH
OF BORDER COMMUNITIES, SUPPORTING THE EFFORTS OF THE UNITED
STATES-MEXICO BORDER HEALTH COMMISSION; THE
BORDER STATES SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT
PROMOTE, AMONG OTHERS, BILINGUAL EDUCATION, CULTURAL EXCHANGE AND
BILATERAL EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES; THE
BORDER STATES, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE
PRIVATE SECTOR, ACKNOWLEDGE AND SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PROTECTING
THE ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE BORDER BY IMPLEMENTING
PROGRAMS AIMED AT CONSERVING THE WEALTH OF THOSE RESOURCES IN THE
REGION; RECOGNIZING
THAT A LARGE PART OF THE BORDER REGION IS DESERT, BOTH NATIONS WILL
FOCUS EFFORTS ON PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE, EFFICIENT USE OF WATER AND WATER
CONSERVATION; THE
FREQUENT WORK MEETINGS HELD BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE BORDER STATES
HAVE MADE IT POSSIBLE TO ESTABLISH A MECHANISM FOR ONGOING DIALOGUE AND
CONSULTATION, AS WELL AS A CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP AMONG THE BORDER
GOVERNORS; THE
RELATIONSHIP AMONG THE BORDER GOVERNORS CONTINUES TO GENERATE
COOPERATION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO, FOR THE PROSPERITY AND
IMPROVEMENT OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE INHABITANTS OF THE REGION; WE,
THE BORDER GOVERNORS, ENDORSE THIS JOINT DECLARATION AND HEREBY ADOPT
THE FOLLOWING TOPICS OF SIGNIFICANT IMPORTANCE TOWARD THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THE BORDER REGION:
NORTH
AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK THE
INSTITUTION OF NEW PROGRAMS, DEVELOPMENT OF NEW FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
AND EXPANSION INTO ADDITIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SECTORS BY THE NORTH
AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (NADBANK) AND THE BORDER ENVIRONMENT
COOPERATION COMMISSION (BECC) HAS HAD A MARKED AND PALPABLE IMPACT ON
THEIR ABILITY TO DEVELOP AND FINANCE PROJECTS ALONG THE U.S.-MEXICO
BORDER. ADDITIONAL INITIATIVES THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING CONSIDERED BY
THE U.S. SENATE WILL FURTHER ENHANCE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE NADBANK
AND BECC IN ADDRESSING INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS ALONG THE BORDER. THESE
INCLUDE AN INCREASE IN THE BANK'S LOW-INTEREST RATE LENDING PROGRAM,
GEOGRAPHIC EXPANSION OF THE NADBANK/BECC JURISDICTION IN MEXICO TO 300
KILOMETERS FROM THE BORDER, AND THE CREATION OF A SINGLE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS TO GOVERN BOTH INSTITUTIONS. THE
U.S.-MEXICO BORDER GOVERNORS URGE PASSAGE AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE
ADDITIONAL INITIATIVES. THE
U.S.-MEXICO BORDER GOVERNORS ALSO URGE THE INCORPORATION OF A MINIMUM OF
$100 MILLION IN THE FY 2004 BUDGET OF THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY'S BORDER ENVIRONMENT INFRASTRUCTURE FUND (BEIF), ALSO KNOWN AS
THE BORDER WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FUND (BWIF). THIS WOULD MORE EFFECTIVELY
ADDRESS PRESSING BORDER INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS OF ADEQUATE POTABLE WATER
AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT. WATER FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IT
IS AGREED TO CREATE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE ENVIRONMENT WORK TABLE TO
EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF "WATER FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT." THIS FOCUS DOES NOT INTEND TO INTERFERE WITH FEDERAL
JURISDICTION BUT RATHER WILL HAVE THE SPECIAL GOAL OF SOLICITING SUPPORT
FROM OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM. A
BORDER SECURITY WORK TABLE WAS CREATED, CO-CHAIRED BY BAJA CALIFORNIA
AND NEW MEXICO, WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY TO COORDINATE THE WORK OF THE
TABLE. TWO MEETINGS HAVE TAKEN PLACE AND A PLAN OF ACTION HAS BEEN
ESTABLISHED. |
NORTH AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK WATER FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
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Copyright 2001 Texas
Department of Agriculture. |