Bridging borders and beyond through space diplomacy:
leveraging infrastructure for the economic development of our Northeast Mexico-US shared border
Part II
By Judith Arrieta Munguía Consul of Mexico in Brownsville.
Visit the article at https://brownsvilleherald-tx.newsmemory.com/ at the Extra E-Edition Cameron County.
Friday, October 4th, 2024.
For us who live in a thriving border city like Brownsville, we have a clear picture of the importance of infrastructure for the economic development of the region, and moreover, if there is a social vision: with the aim of creating jobs, but also creating and attracting human capital that, in the aerospace sector, definitely needs several qualifications.
In fact, the multiple connections built among our countries in this strategic enclave in the Gulf of Mexico go back to 1849, when the Government of Mexico opened in Brownsville its second consulate in the United States of America with a trade office, after New Orleans. Since then, the linkages in this border of the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) have been growing, not only in infrastructure, but also in exchanges among our communities, businesses, fishermen...and more recently of students, engineers and technicians.
As for infrastructure, the current 4 international bridges that unite us will increase to 5 with the recently authorized Flor de Mayo Port of Entry. In parallel, the Veterans bridge will be expanded to 4 new lanes in 2024; while the Gateway bridge just started its renewal in order to double its number of lanes in a couple of years. Most impressive is the advanced equipment of these bridges, which use technology ahead of any other Port. Trucks cross today with a QR code system and have immediate scanned inspections. In fact, this smart bridge technology has also been acquired by Mexican authorities, who are ready to operate 24/7.
Economic development in the RGV has certainly boosted these transformations, which aim to facilitate the flow of land crossings of both people and goods. In addition to the busy schedule of the North American railway, with its huge line of wagons and several train connections, the other strategic North-South backbone. Besides the activities of 3 international airports plus 3 seaports at this border.
In particular, the Port of Brownsville is also enlarging its role as a provider of raw materials for the energy and space sector, with Mexico as its main partner. With gas and oil exported in pipelines and vessels, which return with wind helix, minerals and industry parts from Mexico.
As for the other side of the Río Grande, the new Mexican President-elect Dr. Claudia Sheinbaum, has announced a new Gulf train, which will connect Matamoros to other Gulf ports in Mexico. In addition to its coming linkage to Monterrey, where the “block train” connects with the Port of Manzanillo in the Pacific, as a shortcut for exports to Asia. In this same line, the recent awarding of the expansion project of Matamoros Port to an Australian firm, Woodside Energy, which will also service the oil platform campo Trion, may also benefit the Port of Brownsville and other train connections.
In parallel, the new transpacific railway in the isthmus located between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, already allows multimodal transportation from the port of Coatzacoalcos in Veracruz to the port of Salina Cruz in Chiapas, as an attractive alternative to the Panama Canal.
Equally important as infrastructure for the boom of the aerospace sector, and certainly less visible, is the institutional support. In the case of Mexico, the Federation of Mexican Space Industries (FEMIA)was formed since 2007; while the Mexican Space Agency (AEM) started to operate in 2010. FAMEX, the Aerospace International Fair was launched in 2015 by the Mexican Department of Defense, to attract Space and defense suppliers, and it now coordinates with the Pentagon. For instance, in 2023 it hosted 703 leading industries from 51 countries, with France as Special guest.
Even during the COVID lockdown, Mexico launched the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (ALCE) as president of the Community of Latin American and the Caribbean States (CELAC). It now has 19 members and is headquartered in Mexico. While the Mexican Space Agency also signed MOU’s with the Indian Space Agency (ISRO), as well as with the European Space Agency. The newly formed Texas Space Commission could certainly find interesting partners in any of these long standing institutions.
So, what's next? 2026 is an important date, not only because of the FIFA World Cup, which will take place in North America and will have thousands of fans coming to Texas stadiums, and moving all across the region.
The USMCA treaty will be revised in 2026 too. Therefore, the new space could be recognized as an area of common interest, while more flexibility of ITAR regulations in the sector, could benefit an expanding and integrated aerospace market. This would definitely facilitate the already existing value chains among the 3 countries, and those arriving to Texas and to this strategic border with Mexico, with clear and advanced rules.
To be continued...