Twenty years after the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) took effect, its signatories — the United States, Mexico and Canada — form the largest trading bloc in the world. What is the future of NAFTA and how have its strengths or shortcomings impacted investment and trade in the region? These issues and more were examined on April 7 at the inaugural conference of the Baker Institute’s Mexico Center. Three of the principal negotiators of the agreement led the discussion: Carla A. Hills (United States), Jaime Serra Puche (Mexico) and Michael Wilson (Canada). The Honorable James A. Baker, III, who served as U.S. secretary of state during the landmark negotiations, also delivered remarks.
Additional support for this event was generously provided by the Consulate General of Canada in Dallas and the Consulate General of Mexico in Houston.
Scroll to the bottom of the page for links to videos of the event; click on "slides" in the agenda to view the speakers' PowerPoint presentations.
Agenda
7:30 amRegistration and Breakfast
8:30 amWelcome
The Honorable Edward P. Djerejian
Founding Director, Rice University's Baker Institute
Panel I — NAFTA After 20 Years
Moderator: Luis Rubio, Ph.D.
President, Center of Research for Development (CIDAC); and Nonresident Fellow, Mexico Center
Jaime Serra Puche, Ph.D. (slides)
Chairman, SAI Derecho y Economía
Carla A. Hills
Chair and CEO, Hills & Company International Consultants
Michael Wilson
Chairman, Barclays Capital Canada Inc.
Keynote Address
The Honorable James A. Baker, III
Honorary Chair, Rice University's Baker Institute
Break
10:30 amPanel II — Assessing NAFTA and Charting Its Future
Moderator: Tony Payán, Ph.D.
Fellow in Mexico Studies and Director, Mexico Center, Rice University’s Baker Institute
Daniel Lederman, Ph.D. (slides)
Deputy Chief Economist for Latin America and the Caribbean, World Bank
Patricia Hansen
Professor, The University of Texas School of Law
Timothy Kehoe, Ph.D. (slides)
Professor, Department of Economics, University of Minnesota
Remarks
Juan Carlos Baker Pineda
Director General for North America, Ministry of the Economy of Mexico
Networking Lunch
View the webcast from the conference:
Part 1: Panel I — "NAFTA After 20 Years" and Keynote Address by James A. Baker, III
Part 2: Panel II — "Assessing NAFTA and Charting Its Future" and Remarks by Juan Carlos Baker Pineda