Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America Report to Leaders August 2006

In June 2005, you received the first report on making North America more prosperous and secure through the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP). The report included a list of early accomplishments and detailed workplans containing initiatives, milestones and completion dates. Today, we are pleased to present the second report.

On March 31, 2006 you met in Cancun to review progress on the SPP. You noted achievements and asked us to continue to build on the momentum of the ambitious agenda of collaboration found in the workplans. A number of goals have been reached and, overall, implementation is on track. We have attached an updated version of the 2005 workplan reporting on the status of initiatives through mid-June of 2006. We have also attached a list that highlights accomplishments achieved since the Cancun Summit, as well as those accomplishments noted at Cancun. By addressing common security and prosperity issues through this process, officials in all three countries have enhanced existing relationships, created new ones, and have strengthened the foundations for ongoing cooperation among our countries.

We are achieving measurable progress on a number of security issues affecting our three countries. Canada, Mexico, and the United States have strengthened relationships in the areas of preparedness, law enforcement, and the screening of travelers and cargo. Furthermore, the three countries have improved processing times at border crossings while maintaining tight security. The United States, Canada and Mexico are making progress to standardize fingerprint-based biometric technology. Moreover, the three countries are cooperating in conducting trials and reviewing the compatibility of their biometric traveler systems.

In Cancun, you called for the creation of an Avian and Human Pandemic Influenza Coordinating Body comprising senior officials. The members of the body have been designated and held their first meeting where they agreed how to organize and prioritize their work. The coordinating body will oversee work on protocols and procedures to ensure that North America is well prepared in advance of an outbreak of pandemic influenza and that our governments act in a coordinated manner to meet any threats.

At the one-year anniversary meeting of the SPP in Cancun, you asked us to examine ways to strengthen the SPP to ensure its continuity and success. To that end, we are pleased to inform you that on June 15, Ministers officially launched the North American Competitiveness Council (NACC) that you announced in Cancun. Our three governments recognize that private sector involvement is key to enhancing North America's competitive position in global markets and is the driving force behind innovation and growth. As such, the creation of the NACC provides a voice and a formal role for the private sector. The regular meetings between ministers, senior officials, and the NACC, complemented by ongoing consultations with other interested stakeholders, will help ensure that the SPP remains a cornerstone of North American cooperation. 

Looking ahead, we are considering other avenues to strengthen the SPP, such as regular meetings of SPP Coordinators to provide direction, track progress and discuss new initiatives, and the use of an ongoing tracking process to help us stay current on the status of initiatives. We will also look at ways to strengthen cooperation among the working groups in order to facilitate the accomplishment of our common goals. 

Prior to the next Leaders' summit, the security and prosperity ministers will meet to review further progress on the priority initiatives you identified in Cancun, update the SPP workplans in light of achievements to date, and develop new initiatives designed to achieve concrete results. At that time, we will discuss with the NACC its preliminary recommendations to Leaders. To facilitate a meaningful and productive discussion with the NACC, we have asked that their initial set of priorities be sent to us by September 15. We are confident that the NACC's involvement and its commitment to be part of the solution to the challenges we face as a region will contribute to make North America the best and most secure place to do business.

The SPP initiatives form a comprehensive agenda for cooperation among the three countries of North America while respecting the sovereignty and unique cultural and legal heritage of each country. Even more importantly, we believe that the SPP is making an impact in developing a culture of cooperation among three North American neighbors. Your announcement in Cancun to hold the third trilateral leaders' meeting in Canada next year further underlines the three governments' commitment to the SPP. We look forward to further progress in the months ahead.