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Arizona-Mexico Flights And Rail Lines On Agenda For Bi-National Conference

Several government officials from Arizona, as well as its cross-border neighboring state of Sonora announced that they will highlight their region’s’ commercial potential and advocate for increased airline and railroad services at a conference later this week, according to event organizers.

The two states represent the potential for companies to trade between the two countries, thanks to attributes such as Sonora’s developed manufacturing networks, ports in the Gulf of Mexico, and Arizona’s highly skilled workforce, according to Juan Ciscomani, the international affairs advisor for Arizona’s Governor Doug Ducey.

The University of Arizona reported that economic indicators suggest that the Arizona border accounts for almost 7 percent of U.S. trade with Mexico.


Several state officials plan to meet with at least two key transportation executives who will speak at the Arizona-Mexico Commission Summit, Ciscomani said. 

One of the officials includes Lance Fritz, the president of Union Pacific Corporation, which is the only company providing rail services between the two countries in Arizona.

The second executive is Andres Fabre, the CEO of Aeromar Airlines, which offers direct flights from Arizona straight to three main cities in Northern Mexico.

“We want them walking away saying, ‘Arizona and Sonora have it together. Not only in their respective states, but also they really want business, and they’re a business friendly region,'” Ciscomani said. “That’s what we want these large corporations and even small businesses to walk away with.”

The summit, scheduled for Thursday and Friday in Scottsdale, will host business and government leaders from both sides of the border, Ciscomani said. The 580-seat event sold out by last week.