WH invites Nicholls to USMCA signing
Yuma mayor, vocal promoter of the trade agreement, touted benefits to region
Yuma had a seat on the “global stage” once more, with Mayor Doug Nicholls attending the Wednesday signing of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement in Washington, D.C.
The White House invited Nicholls to the ceremony during which President Trump signed the trade agreement between the three nations replacing the 25-year North American Free Trade Agreement.
Nicholls shared his thoughts with the Yuma Sun as he walked from the ceremony that took place on the White House South Lawn during the crisp, cold morning.
“It was an honor to be invited, to be able to represent Yuma in that kind of global stage,” he said, noting that not that many cities were represented.
In a press release sent out by the city later in the day, Nicholls stated: “It’s an honor to witness the President signing the single most significant trade agreement in generations and for many generations to come. The USMCA is a historical win for American workers, businesses, and for the strong relationship with our trade
partners. With USMCA in place, the future of Yuma and the 4FrontED binational megaregion is better positioned for economic strength than ever.”
Nicholls was in the company of Mesa Mayor John Giles, Glenn Hamer, president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Stefanie Smallhouse, president of the Arizona Farm Bureau.
As he talked, Nicholls was headed to a meeting with staff members of the U.S. Conference of Mayors to discuss “pertinent issues.”
“The agreement itself is important for us as a region,” Nicholls told the Yuma Sun, explaining that trade with Mexico is the “bedrock” to building a future relationship with the southern neighbor.
“The event was great just to be able to cap the whole effort” that Yuma and its regional partners had done on promoting the passage of by Congress, he said.
Nicholls believes he was invited because Yuma and those regional partners have been “very vocal” in its support of the trade agreement.
The White House “recognized the hard work we put into it because it’s so important for Yuma and the whole region and our other partners,” Nicholls said.
During a meeting with President Trump last spring, Nicholls discussed the importance of Congress passing the trade agreement.
A couple of weeks earlier, at a forum held in Yuma called “NAFTA 2.0: The Impact of USMCA on the Megaregion,” the mayor had urged attendees to encourage their congressional representatives to approve the USMCA.
Forum panelists included some heavy-hitters such as Gavin Nardocchio-Jones, consul of economic policy relations and public affairs at the Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles; Dr. Guillermo Malpica Soto, head of the Trade and NAFTA Office at the Embassy of Mexico in Washington, D.C.; and Ana M. Guevara, deputy assistant secretary for U.S. Operations, Department of Commerce International Trade Association, in Washington, D.C.
The event, held at Arizona Western College with about 150 attendees, had the objective of promoting and encouraging a dialogue about the benefits and potential impacts of the agreement to the 4FrontED region, which includes Yuma and Imperial counties and the border cities of San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, and Mexicali, Baja California.
In his welcoming remarks, Nicholls pointed out that there is more that binds than divides the region and that Canada might not be physically close but it’s economically close to the region.
The mayor explained that organizers hoped that ultimately attendees would encourage congressional members to approve the trade agreement if they’re convinced of its value and benefits. “And I do believe we will get there,” he said at the time.
Nicholls added that attending the event “demonstrates the importance of Yuma in the global economy, as our region and state’s economic strength is heavily reliant upon trading with Mexico and Canada.” The press release noted that in 2018 Arizona had $20.4 billion in combined total trade with Mexico and Canada according to the U.S. Census Bureau. More than 228,000 jobs in Arizona resulted from trade with USMCA partners in 2017.
“The Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry has a deep appreciation for Mayor Nicholls’ leadership in using his pulpit as mayor of Yuma to gather support for the USMCA in Arizona and outside of our state,” Hamer said. “As a mayor with expertise on the border issues and an international media reach, he made the case that this agreement is great for our economy and security. It was a privilege to be at the White House ceremony with Mayor Nicholls and Mayor Giles.”
“So many have championed for this day to come,” Nicholls said. “I’m grateful to Arizona’s elected officials and partners who deserve the praise for working hard to ensure the best deal was struck to protect workers and promote opportunities.”
Before the ceremony, Nicholls met with White House staff to talk about a “few minor things.”
At the signing, Nicholls spoke with Vice President Mike Pence and Arizona Sen. Martha McSally.
He hoped to meet with other key players while in the Capitol Wednesday and Thursday, but he wasn’t sure if those plans would pan out due to the short notice. He received the invitation late last week.
Nicholls is scheduled to return to Yuma late Thursday.