Mexico's US Ambassador: NAFTA Needs Improvement 20 Years On

By Lorne Matalon
January 02, 2014

Mexico's Ambassador to Washington, Eduardo Medina Mora, said Sunday that Mexico, Canada and the United States would work on a new “strategic vision” for the North American Free Trade Agreement, known as NAFTA, beginning with a meeting scheduled for next month. 

NAFTA was implemented 20 years ago this month.

The presidents of the three countries are scheduled to meet in February to discuss economy, technology and infrastructure.

Medina Mora said that important improvements had been made in infrastructure in the border region but that the area’s potential had yet to be realized.

The North American Development Bank estimates that more than $1 trillion is needed to modernize infrastructure across the Mexico-U.S. border.  

The Mexican government also stated its continued support for NAFTA on Sunday, adding that it is fully committed to protecting the rights of Mexicans abroad.

Immigration activists are skeptical, however, given the numbers of Central American migrants passing through Mexico who claim they were victims of violence.