The governments of Mexico, the United States and Canada pledged Tuesday to strengthen the security, prosperity, sustainability and inclusion of North America, arguing that the three countries are not «just neighbors» but partners.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, U.S. President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau agreed to implement these commitments through common principles, the leaders said in a joint statement.
These include diversity, equity and inclusion; the fight against climate change and the defense of the environment, the region’s competitiveness, migration control and development, as well as other aspects such as health and regional security.
«Diversity, equity and inclusion are fundamental to the strength, vitality and resilience of our countries. We focus on providing marginalized communities with opportunities for full, equitable and meaningful participation in our democracies and economies,» reads the joint letter.
The three countries have highlighted during the 10th North American Leaders Summit (NALS) the importance of «safe, orderly and humane migration» under the Los Angeles Declaration, signed six years ago.
The agreement includes assisting host communities and promoting the integration of migrants and refugees; providing protection to refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants; strengthening asylum capacity in the region; and expanding and promoting regular migration and protection channels.
Specifically, Biden, Lopez Obrador and Trudeau have pledged to continue working together to reduce irregular migration, including announcing a new website to give migrants more information about legal migration options.
In addition, the three countries have highlighted the need to address «the root causes and impacts of irregular migration» and forced displacement.
Among other initiatives, Mexico, the United States and Canada will focus on strategies to strengthen «shared continental security against national, regional and global threats, including cyber threats.»
«Security cooperation will continue to abide by our common understanding that respect for human rights and the rule of law contribute to a more secure North America,» the text continues.
Cooperation includes actions to disrupt criminal actors and associated crimes across their shared borders, including money laundering, child sexual exploitation, firearms and human trafficking.
In addition, Mexico, the United States and Canada have shown their willingness to deepen regional capacity to attract «high quality investment», boost innovation and strengthen the resilience of their economies, recognizing «the benefits of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement».
To boost regional competitiveness, the three countries will seek to forge stronger regional supply chains, as well as promote targeted investments in key industries of the future such as semiconductors and batteries for electric vehicles, which will be «critical to advancing electric vehicle development and infrastructure».
«We will convene public-private dialogues and map out supply chains to address common challenges and opportunities,» they detailed.
There have also been lesser agreements on major sticking points in the countries’ relations, with the leaders agreeing instead to continue to collaborate on minority advocacy, trade and drugs.
«The commitments made during this summit are based on a shared vision of a more equitable, just, inclusive, resilient, secure and prosperous North America and a shared responsibility to achieve more equitable outcomes that respond to the needs and aspirations of our citizens,» the three leaders said.
«As we work to implement these commitments in the coming year, we seek to model a democratic and sustainable path based on trust to promote inclusive prosperity and security,» they added.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
