Mexico hosts ‘Three Amigos’ talks
Integration a priority on summit agenda
MEXICO CITY: The leaders of the United States, Mexico and Canada are expected to set aside simmering trade tensions and pursue deeper economic integration at talks which began yesterday, that will also cover security and migration.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is hosting his US counterpart Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for three-way talks known as the “Three Amigos” summit.
While efforts to tackle migration and drug smuggling dominated a bilateral meeting between Mr Lopez Obrador and Mr Biden on Monday, the focus was expected to shift to the economy as Mr Trudeau joined them.
Reinforcing regional economic ties “allows the United States to be the manufacturing powerhouse that President Biden has talked about but also is a win-win for Mexico and Canada,” White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters.
Furthermore, it “reduces our dependencies on other countries and other parts of the world who don’t necessarily share the same values that we share with our partners here in North America,” he added.
Mexico hopes to benefit from Washington’s efforts to reduce its reliance on Asia-based manufacturers.
Last year, the Latin American nation was invited by the United States to join a multi-billion dollar push to boost semiconductor manufacturing to compete with China.
Mr Biden revived the “Three Amigos” talks in 2021, seeking to restore normalcy to the three-way partnership after his predecessor Donald
Trump shelved the regional summit.
But relations between Mr Lopez Obrador and Mr Biden have not been entirely smooth.
Mexico faces a formal trade complaint from the United States and Canada under a North American trade deal.
Washington and Ottawa say Mr Lopez Obrador’s push to boost the state’s role in the energy industry hurts foreign investors and hinders the development of clean energy.
While Mr Biden and Mr Trudeau may raise their concerns with Mr Lopez Obrador in private about the energy reforms, in public they are likely to emphasise the potential for closer collaboration.
Differences also surfaced on Monday between the United States and Mexico in their approaches to dealing with surging migrant arrivals at their shared border.
“It is time to end this oblivion, this abandonment, this disdain for Latin America and the Caribbean,” Mr Lopez Obrador, who wants increased US investment in the region, said at the start of bilateral talks.
Mr Biden defended Washington’s record, saying it had spent “tens of billions of dollars” in the past 15 years alone that had benefited the region.
“The United States provides more foreign aid than every other country just about combined,” he said.
“Unfortunately, our responsibility just doesn’t end in the Western Hemisphere,” Mr Biden added.
Amnesty International urged the North American leaders to make the rights of refugees and migrants a “top priority” at their talks and to “stop implementing inhumane shared migration policies.”
“As the number of people fleeing violence and persecution continues to grow, protecting the human rights of migrants and refugees is of critical importance,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty’s Americas director.
On Thursday, Mr Biden announced an expansion of powers to expel people showing up at the border without clearance.
At the same time, a legal, strictly enforced pathway will be created for up to 30,000 migrants a month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela.