Sustainable Economic Development

The Trans-Border Institute promotes dialogue among policy-makers, academics, and regional stakeholders to help strengthen the vision of San Diego-Baja California as an economically integrated, bi-national community. San Diego and Baja California have tremendous shared potential as a part of a bi-national region, with enormous possibilities in the global economy. In recent years, however, overwhelming obstacles—security and economic crises—have posed major challenges that undermine the region’s economic performance. In 2008-2009, as part of its work on economic development issues, TBI conducted studies in Tijuana and Mexicali, Baja California to gain a better understanding of the dynamics of microcredit lending in urban areas, and to assess the potential for growth and expansion of this service to other areas of the border and Mexico. In April 2010, TBI hosted the first face-to-face summit of the three commerce secretaries under U.S. President Barack Obama, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and Mexican President Felipe Calderón to help advance North American trade relations, with a particular emphasis on promoting technology and innovation in the cross-border region.

Los Niños Microcredit Study

North American Competitiveness, Innovation, and Clean Energy Conference 2010

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