The Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation and the Matamoros Economic Development Committee (CODEM) have for years worked together to cultivate economic development on both sides of the Rio Grande, but now that relationship has been formalized through a new memorandum of understanding.
The MOU is meant to strengthen the partnership by providing a framework for collaboration by meeting quarterly and establishing committees, and discussing international-crossing updates and legislative agendas, according to the organizations.
“For years, Brownsville and Matamoros have worked alongside to attract new businesses to the area, fostering the region’s economic development,” said GBIC Chairman and Brownsville City Commissioner John Cowen Jr. “Through GBIC and CODEM, Brownsville and Matamoros will continue to work together in a more unified way by recruiting and retaining businesses in both cities.”
He said the collaboration will help develop new business leads and create more jobs in the bi-national region.
GBIC Executive Director and Brownsville Deputy City Manager Helen Ramirez called the collaboration between the two entities “key as we work towards accelerating our industrial growth corridors within the Brownsville-Matamoros region.”
She said the sister cities will keep working together to “tackle supply-chain pain points,” strengthen the area’s young workforce and in general promote economic prosperity for Texas and Mexico.
CODEM Executive Director Grecia Zertuche said that with Matamoros’ logistical advantages and skilled workforce added into the mix, “the sky is the limit for our region.”
