Center for Border Economic Development


 

The Center for Border Economic Development (C-BED) is in a unique position to marshal resources from across New Mexico State University (NMSU) to promote business expansion and economic development in communities along the U.S.-Mexico border. An important collaborator in our efforts is Arrowhead Center. Our mission and that of Arrowhead complement each other and this has resulted in a productive partnership.
C-BED seeks to complement existing development efforts along the border by working closely with businesses, governments, NGOs, and other border stakeholders to identify impediments to economic development and to propose solutions to overcome those impediments. Many of the studies conducted since C-BED's founding in 2021 involve economic impact and infrastructure projects including a study for the Border Task Force on the Paso del Norte Region, and an economic impact study of the Santa Teresa Port of Entry and Santa Teresa industrial parks.

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What Will Three New Rail Lines Mean for Mexico?

 

President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum announced July 10 that she will build three train lines running from the capital to some cities along the U.S. border. The project involves constructing some 1,850 miles of passenger rail, about double what current President Andrés Manuel López Obrador built. Sheinbaum announced that the trains would be electric, in contrast to the diesel-consuming freight trains that make up Mexico’s current fleets. Why is Sheinbaum proposing this infrastructure project? How does this align with her environmental policies? What will the new rail lines accomplish?

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What Do Tariffs on Chinese Goods Mean for Latin America?

 

U.S. President Joe Biden last month announced an increase in tariffs on several Chinese imports, including not only electric vehicles, but also advanced batteries, solar cells, steel, aluminum and medical equipment. Biden said the tariffs are an effort to counter Chinese government subsidies, which he said give China’s products an unfair advantage in global trade. How will the tariffs affect trade between the United States, Central America and Mexico, particularly amid the “nearshoring” trend? How do the tariffs affect relations between the United States and Mexico? Which sectors stand to be most affected by the tariffs?

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