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CaliBaja Integration Working Group

Beginning in March 2020, the U.S.-Mexico border was partially closed for nearly 20 months due to health concerns arising from the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The Center for U.S- Mexican Studies at the UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy, in partnership with the Consulate General of Mexico in San Diego, launched a working group seeking to understand how the state of emergency affected different aspects of the cross-border relationship and explored the steps that might be taken to strengthen the CaliBaja region, which comprises parts of Southern California in the U.S. and Baja California in Mexico.

A key initiative of the working group is to facilitate dialogues between regional leaders from the public, private and social sectors on key topics for strengthening CaliBaja’s integration such as governance, cross-border infrastructure, healthcare systems, integrated supply chains, migration, energy, environment and many more.

The first stage of the working group was named “CaliBaja: Emerging Stronger after COVID-19” and was designed with the goal to understand the opportunity areas that were made visible by the COVID-19 pandemic, which helped us strengthen existing transborder mechanisms and, if necessary, create new ones. A series of 16 conversations were held to identify best practices and areas for improvement during this first phase. 

CaliBaja: Emerging Stronger after COVID-19  

As a result of the working group, a report comprising 13 brief chapters with specific recommendations on how to strengthen CaliBaja’s integration will be published.  

In addition to providing specific policy recommendations, each chapter includes an analysis of the pre-pandemic conditions for cooperation, what happened as a result of COVID-19 and the border shutdown, and the aspirations of CaliBaja’s stakeholders as an ideal state of transborder cooperation. We thank professor Paul Ganster for leading the report’s editing efforts.

CaliBaja: Moving Forward Together

The working group is currently meeting under a new name that intends to highlight the optimism and collaboration that marks the CaliBaja region. The group’s monthly conversations serve as a follow-up to the lessons learned during the first 20 months of the pandemic, the current state of recovery and the future for the region. Thus far, meetings were held on migration, the border reopening and public health. The main takeaways of each meeting will soon be available in English and Spanish.

The working group’s ultimate goal is to help build a region that is more resilient, collaborative, equitable and sustainable.

The working group and projects are supported by Otay-Tijuana Venture, L.L.C. and Sempra.

Working Group Members

Co-chairs:

  • Rafael Fernández de Castro, Professor and Director of the Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies, UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy
  • Alicia Kerber-Palma, Mexican Consulate in San Diego

Members:

  • Paola Avila, City of San Diego
  • Carolina Chavez, City of Chula Vista
  • Ernesto Chávez, City of Tijuana
  • Ietza Bojórquez, COLEF
  • Rodolfo Cruz Piñeiro, COLEF
  • Gudelia Rangel, COLEF
  • Carlos de la Parra, COLEF
  • Victor Espinoza Valle, COLEF
  • Thomas Reott, Consulate General of the U.S. in Tijuana
  • Christopher McHone, Consulate General of the U.S. in Tijuana
  • Jett Thomason, Consulate General of the U.S. in Tijuana
  • Andrea Giralt, Consultant
  • Michael Kleeman, Consultant
  • Carlos Jaramillo, DEITAC
  • Cristina Hermosillo, DEITAC
  • Mario Lopez, IEnova
  • Pedro Montejo, INDEX Zona Costa
  • Lety Martinez Hermosillo, International Community Foundation
  • Ana Rosa Ochoa, Mexican Consulate in San Diego
  • Marcela Merino, ProSalud
  • Eduardo Acosta, RL Jones
  • Hector Vanegas, SANDAG
  • Paul Ganster, SDSU
  • Kurt Honold, Secretaría de Economía e Innovación de Baja California
  • Yara Amparo López, Secretaría de Educación de Baja California
  • Gustavo de la Fuente, Secretaría de Economía e Innovación de Baja California
  • Denice Garcia, County of San Diego
  • Devonna Almagro, Office of San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas
  • Pepe Galicot, Tijuana Innovadora
  • Claudia Basurto, Tijuana Innovadora
  • Andy Carey, U.S.-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership
  • Rafael Velazquez Flores, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California
  • Monica Bauer, Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies, UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy
  • Claudia Fernandez-Calleros, Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies, UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy
  • Javier Gomez, City of San Diego
  • Joaquin Luken, Smart Border Coalition
  • David Perez Tejada, Secretaría de Economía e Innovación de Baja California
  • Kenia Zamarripa, San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce
  • Jimena Villaseñor, San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce
  • Monica Morales, Secretaría General de Gobierno de Baja California
  • Jorge Goytortua, CBX
  • Karen Higareda, CBX
  • Alejandra Mier y Teran, Otay Mesa Chamber of Commerce
  • James Gerber, Emeritus Professor of Economics, San Diego State University
  • Tad Parzen, Burham Center
  • Richard Ky, Institute of the Americas

Takeaways

Takeaways from meeting on “The impact of illicit arms trafficking on the border”
April 25, 2023
English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)

Takeaways from meeting on “Challenges when sharing a vital resource: the Colorado River”
March 7, 2023
English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)

Takeaways from meeting on “Medical Tourism: Challenges and Opportunities”
Aug. 23, 2022
English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)

Takeaways from meeting on "After Title 42"
June 21, 2022
English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)

Takeaways from meeting on "Expanding Opportunities in CaliBaja's Biotech Ecosystem"
May 17, 2022
English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)

Takeaways from meeting on "The Impact of the Border Closure on Binational Students and Current Challenges"
March 22, 2022
English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)

Takeaways from meeting on "The Energy Outlook in the CaliBaja Region"
Feb. 23, 2022
English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)

Takeaways from meeting on "The New COVID-19 Challenges in 2022"
Jan. 25, 2022
English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)

Takeaways from meeting on "Reopening the Border: Challenges, Opportunities and Impacts of the 20-month Closure"
Nov. 16, 2021
English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)

Takeaways from meeting on "Migration"
Oct. 26, 2021
English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)