This year, during the Arizona-Mexico Commission (AMC) 2008 Summer Plenary Session, the AMC fully implemented a new binational model and took the work of our committees and AMC members to the next level. While meeting with co-chairs, both governors encouraged committees to promote cooperation across disciplines within each committee cluster in order to address and solve large-scale problems. Governors Napolitano and Bours highlighted the importance of the development of strategic committee action items that align with the governors' policy priorities. This was demonstrated this year when the governors chose to tackle childhood obesity in the Arizona-Sonora region (Quality of Life Cluster) and develop a 2015 Border Infrastructure Plan for border-wide improvements (Expanding Trade for our Region Cluster).

"As neighbors, collaboration is essential to our success in combating issues affecting the region," said Gov. Napolitano. "Not only will partnerships advance our global competitiveness, but more importantly it will improve the quality of life for Arizonans and Sonorans."

Gov. Janet Napolitano and Sonora Gov. Eduardo Bours Castelo also signed eight agreements addressing drug and weapon trafficking, felony fugitives, emergency response and border infrastructure in the Arizona-Sonora region during the plenary session.

Click here for a brief overview of the conference and its accomplishments.