Tijuana Mayor Ismael Burgueño Ruiz noted that San Diego-Tijuana binational relations are critical to maintaining the economic development and stability of the border area. Both sides of the border are connected through an interdependence that affects several different areas and industries and boosts progress in the region.

Speaking at a press conference, the municipal president said:

The Tijuana-San Diego relationship is one of the most dynamic and interconnected in the world.

Currently, the mayor is a member of the Binational Delegation to Mexico City. This group aims to promote US-Mexico relations and boost key priority actions for the success of the binational business community.

I predict that there will be great projects in the future. During my three years in office, we were determined to create these projects following a strict agenda that must be constantly assessed in order to build the greatest Tijuana-San Diego relationship in history.

The mayor cited some significant data that revealed how important it is to boost actions for the development of both Tijuana and San Diego. He recalled that over 275 million dollars are generated annually between Mexico and the United States due to economic exchange brought on by binational relations.

Regarding jobs, Ismael Burgueño claimed that an estimated 50,000 people cross the border every day to work, underlining the region's labor interdependence, which, in turn, makes it the busiest border in the world.

Likewise, he said that, with approximately 70 million crossings, the San Ysidro-Tijuana port of entry is the most frequently crossed border in the world; meanwhile, Otay Mesa is one of the busiest ports of entry regarding trade by land.

This essential border dynamic is reflected in the following scenario: Americans visit Tijuana for entertainment and medical care in specialties such as bariatrics and odontology. This highlights how important Tijuana is in the medical tourism industry.

Regarding this issue, Burgueño Ruiz said the following:

Tijuana is the leading destination in medical tourism, welcoming around 2.4 million medical tourists per year. Many of them come from San Diego and other places in the US, generating more than 800 million dollars per year.

Strengthening bonds: challenges and opportunities of Tijuana-San Diego relations

Municipal President Ismael Burgueño also stressed the importance of security and cooperation, pointing out that both regions face common challenges. Currently, the administration is working on forging a close binational relationship and collaborating closely with the state and federal governments to develop specific and clear strategies to strengthen this area. He also announced investments in technology and intelligence areas to improve the security framework even further.

Other important issues concerning Tijuana and San Diego are manufacturing and technology, cultural exchange and entertainment, education and research, immigration and mobility, and sustainability and the environment.

Due to how close this binational zone is, Burgueño recalled that San Diego and Tijuana are united not only by the residents and tourists they share but also by a vibrant cultural life that is reflected in several binational events and festivals.

Mayors Todd Gloria and Ismael Burgueño join forces to strengthen Cali-Baja relations

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, also a member of the Binational Delegation, stressed the importance of Cali-Baja relations. Both territories form a border mega-region in which thousands of people live, work, and travel daily through ports of entry.

After his speech, Tijuana Mayor Isamel Burgueño said:

I want to thank the dedication of the mayor of San Diego, Todd Gloria. We have collaborated, discussed, and created this great binational agenda to strengthen these projects in the border region.

More than 100 business and community leaders from San Diego and Baja California will participate from October 20 to October 23 in this Binational Delegation organized by the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The Binational Delegation consists of President and CEO of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, Jerry Sanders; San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman, Nora Vargas; Mayor of San Diego, Todd Gloria; Mayor of Imperial Beach, Paloma Aguirre; Consul General of Mexico in San Diego, Ambassador Alicia G. Kerber-Palma; Senator from Baja California, Gustavo Sánchez Vásquez; the Secretary of Transportation for the state of California, Toks Omishakin, among others.

Ismael Burgueño, prior actions for a compelling binational agenda

The mayor of Tijuana, Ismael Burgueño, carried out important actions to lay the foundations for developing a cooperation agenda between Mexico and the United States. Just a few days prior to the Binational Delegation trip, he met with several different San Diego authority figures to discuss the challenges at the border and potential collaboration opportunities.

One of these meetings was held with Mariza Marín, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Port Director. During this meeting, several critical topics, such as streamlining border crossings and incorporating new advanced technologies at the ports of entry, were discussed.