Improving the Border Agency Cooperation
Among the OIC Member States for Facilitating Trade
30
2.2.1. Setting the scene for iBAC
The border between Mexico and the United States is the most frequently crossed boundary in
the world, with approximately 350 million crossings and over five million cars and trucks
traversing the border annually. The boundary is 3,142 km long and along the border there are
ten states, four in the US and six in Mexico (see Figure below).
The border area is of critical economic importance for both. Being Mexico the second largest
destination of US goods and services after Canada30, nearly 500 BUSD worth of goods cross
between the countries each year.31 Approximately 80% of this trade crosses the border via
road and rail.32 In addition, the US imports from Mexico contain as much as 40% US content,
which means that the goods often cross the border multiple times in the course of being turned
into the final product. Such volumes mean that highly efficient ways of managing the border
are compulsory.
Figure 4. The US – Mexican border region
Source: Lee & Wilson, 2014
2.2.2. Tangible iBAC activities
Three key initiatives
The border region between the US and Mexico is an area where both countries have to deal
daily with more than 1.0 BUSD worth of bilateral commerce that crosses through their land
borders.33 Because of the amount of goods crossing between both countries, many delays in
border producers as well as illicit trade activities take place in the region. In this context,
border agency cooperation becomes crucially important because it can provide the proper
30
3 June 2016)
32 www.dhs.gov/news/2016/02/04/us-and-mexican-officials-celebrate-inauguration-port-entry-and-international-bridge
(accessed 5 June 2016).
33