While negotiations over tariffs and security along the U.S.-Mexico border are causing uncertainty, economic experts in the region still see plenty of growth in business and trade.

The North American Development Bank (NADBank) hosted its annual summit in San Antonio through Friday, drawing government and business officials from both sides of the border to discuss infrastructure, sustainability, water and trade.

NADBank was started jointly by the United States and Mexican governments after the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was first signed in San Antonio more than 30 years ago. It funds infrastructure projects along the border in both countries through loans and grants.

Despite the Trump Administration’s maneuvering on trade and tariffs, the experts in attendance said they see too much opportunity to make money in cross-border trade for it to slow down.

“The long-term logic and value is going to prevail,” NADBank’s Managing Director John Beckham said.

San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones poses for a photo with NADBank Managing Director John Beckham. Credit: Amber Esparza / San Antonio Report

San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones said as much when she spoke at the event Thursday, making a veiled reference to the national political climate in the U.S. while highlighting the importance of infrastructure and international cooperation.

“Not to get political,” she said to the event’s attendees, “[but] I’m thankful for the infrastructure that we are building, literally and figuratively through your work, to ensure that once we get on the other side of this, we are in fact able to rebound quickly.”

Strengthening a trade pipeline

Trade with Mexico is important for San Antonio, said Sarah Carabias Rush, CEO of Greater:SATX, a local organization that works to bring jobs and businesses to San Antonio.

“Our regional economy is powered by our ties with Mexico. The flow of goods through I-35 and Port Laredo supports thousands of jobs,” she wrote in an email this week.

Carabias Rush did not attend NADBank’s summit, but said these kinds of events are important for maintaining regional collaboration and trade.

Trade routes that pass through San Antonio support jobs in warehouses, transportation and customs, Carabias Rush said, but San Antonio is also an advanced manufacturing hub.

Attendees listen and take notes during a Thursday panel session. Credit: Amber Esparza / San Antonio Report

“Our region plays a central role in the Texas-Mexico Automotive Supercluster, which connects advanced manufacturing hubs from Dallas to San Luis Potosí,” she said. “This includes the production of automotive parts, aerospace components, and electronics.”

Emmanuel Loo is the Secretary of the Treasury for Nuevo Léon, one of Mexico’s northern states. Population and business is growing in Monterrey, Nuevo Léon’s capital and one of the largest metropolitan in North America, which is also one of the manufacturing and trade hubs linked to San Antonio.

At the event, Loo said Mexican suppliers are trying to integrate with manufacturers with operations in the U.S., including Toyota and the soon-to-be-opened JCB factory in San Antonio.

To expand international trade, Loo said, there need to be more roads, more rail lines and more cross-border collaboration. Loo spoke more freely about international relations between the U.S. and Mexico than some of his U.S. counterparts.

“The political rhetoric is one thing, but the actual economic world is another,” he said.

He also noted that tariffs on other countries present an opportunity for Mexican suppliers to fill gaps that develop as products from other regions, like Asia, grow more expensive.

Bali Express Services CEO Juan Baez introduces himself to the audience during a panel session. Credit: Amber Esparza / San Antonio Report

“The tariffs are creating a huge opportunity for Mexican suppliers,” he said.

While U.S.-based officials and experts were a little more reticent to dive into discussions of politics and tariffs, they noted that long-term support for infrastructure growth remains.

Beckham said water has become an increasingly important issue as southern border communities face chronic drought.

NADBank’s summit also included an announcement about major investments in water projects and drought mitigation in the border region: NADBank launched a $400 million water resiliency fund Friday to address those concerns.

In the meantime, bridges are, literally, still being built as officials anticipate more trade.

“When I talk to Toyota, when I talk to other entities about what they’re really looking for, it’s about the infrastructure support,” Jones said. “Not only what they need today, but how they anticipate growing.”