The City of Las Cruces Economic Development Department recently conducted two successful trips to Chihuahua and Cuidad Juárez, Mexico to promote Las Cruces and southern New Mexico.
“The collaboration between Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua City and the City of Las Cruces is key to learn about the regional technology assets which increase our competitiveness as the Borderplex region,” said Francisco Pallares, Deputy Director of the City’s Economic Development Department. “There are opportunities in the Aerospace, Manufacturing, and Agricultural sectors that can be further strengthened by collaborating with the assets of each City.”
On January 27, Economic Development Department members went to Chihuahua City, Mexico to meet with technology and industrial innovation center, FabLab Chihuahua, as well as the workforce development center called CENALTEC Chihuahua and SPARK. The meeting was to discuss potential partnerships with the aerospace and technology sectors in Chihuahua City.
On February 11, a City delegation including Mayor Ken Miyagishima, City Manager Ifo Pili, members of the Economic Development Department and Las Cruces International Airport, Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance, and the New Mexico State University Arrowhead Center traveled to Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.
The delegation met with Ciudad Juárez Mayor Cruz Perez Cuellar, and representatives of Desarrollo Economico de Ciudad Juárez AC, officials with the Mexican State of Chihuahua Innovation and Economic Development Department, Microsoft Tech Spark, and other key Juarez stakeholders. The City delegation visited the Centro de Innovación e Integración de Tecnología Avanzada del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CIITA-IPN) and the A. I. Center, which is a center of innovation and technological integration in the Borderplex region.
The Ciudad Juárez tour included a visit to the maquiladora industry. Additionally, the delegation from Las Cruces presented the competitive advantages of Las Cruces’ economy, as well as its economic development programs.
As a result of the visits Ciudad Juárez and Chihuahua City, some of the next steps in the collaboration include:
- Planning visits to Las Cruces and Spaceport America for members of the Aerospace industry in Chihuahua City with other key stakeholders in Ciudad Juárez and Chihuahua.
- Collaborate in resolving common challenges, such as supply chain constraints on both sides of the border.
Continue the collaboration to strengthen workforce and entrepreneurial programs in the region.
