At a time when challenges in water, agriculture, and energy require urgent solutions, the NADBank Summit 2025, held this past August 28 and 29, brought together voices from both sides of the border with one purpose: to chart a path forward. The conversations held over these two days at our flagship event were not just about infrastructure and policy—they were about people, communities and the future we can build when the United States and Mexico work hand in hand.
Water Resiliency: A Unifying Theme
From the very start, water was at the center of the discussion. The opening keynote for the summit Diana Alarcón, Associate Executive Director of the World Bank, reminded us that “This meeting of minds is most important to mobilize resources for better projects” and emphasized the opportunity to strengthen the binational relationship. During his keynote presentation, the Secretary of Economic Development for the State of New Mexico, Rob Black captured the urgency by stating that “water is life in the border and without that focus, none of these other things work: technology, infrastructure, sustainability.”
Speakers highlighted both the challenge and responsibility of ensuring access to affordable, reliable water. Mark Vega, with his experience as the General Manager of the City of McAllen Public Utility Board, reminded participants that “water is not an option for citizens—you’ve got to have it, and we need to try and make it as affordable as possible.”
Agriculture and Efficiency
Agriculture emerged as a priority more than ever before. Panelists drew attention to policies, technologies, markets, and the importance of knowledge sharing. Juan Duran, Administrative and Financial Director of MS Central de Distribuciones y Agrícola MS La Pitaya, S.A. de C.V., observed: “When you change the way you do things in agriculture, and you share it with your community, you change their culture and you truly foster wellbeing, resources and sustainability.”
Senior Environmental Manager for Nature Sweet, Cristabel Meza, urged holistic solutions that leverage advanced systems and artificial intelligence while preparing workers and engineers to take a central role. Meanwhile, our keynote speaker, Víctor Manuel Villalobos, Former Secretary of Agriculture & Rural Development of Mexico, emphasized the border region’s great potential for agricultural development and called on NADBank to take advantage of the opportunity to lead, promote, and drive this sector forward.
Mobility and Energy Innovation
Panelists showcased how clean and efficient mobility is already transforming the border region. From incentives in Baja California that help public transportation drivers transition to cleaner vehicles, to innovations in freight transport at busy border crossings, these leaders are demonstrating what’s possible. As Carlos Ealy, Assistant Secretary of State for Mexican and Border Affairs in the State of Texas, stated: “Anticipate problems, rather than react to crisis.”
Cities, Development, and Livability
Urban growth and equity were also at the forefront of the conversations, recognizing that the border region’s rapidly expanding cities face both opportunities and challenges. Bill Ávila, Partner at Bracewell LLP, encouraged inter-local cooperation, underscoring the importance of coordination between municipalities that share resources, infrastructure, and populations. The Executive Director or World Resources Institute, Mexico, Francisco Barnés, reminded us that “Cities are often part of the problem we need to solve, but they are also the solution when we internalize equity and social justice into our projects.” His message highlighted the need to rethink urban planning so that development goes hand in hand with inclusivity, sustainability, and long-term livability.
Panelists pointed out that cities concentrate many of the pressures the region faces—such as housing demand, transportation needs, water scarcity, and air quality—but they also serve as hubs for innovation, investment, and community engagement. By addressing these issues through integrated planning and equitable policies, cities can move from being sources of strain to becoming drivers of resilience and wellbeing.
Closing the discussion on reimagining urban growth, Rebecca Roose, Senior Infrastructure Advisor of the Office of New Mexico Governor, issued a challenge relevant across all sectors: “If we always do the same things, we will always have the same results.” Her words served as a call to action to embrace new approaches, experiment with forward-thinking solutions, and ensure that our border cities remain not only competitive, but also just and livable for generations to come.
Workforce Development and Cooperation
Workforce development surfaced as a critical element throughout the Summit. The Skills for Sustainability (S4S) program, an initiative of The Trust of the Americas and supported by NADBank, is a clear example of how cooperation, finance, innovation, and resilient communities intersect. More broadly, cooperation was not only a theme, but a practice—linking governments, industries, and civil society to build a border region defined by opportunity.
A Shared Future
The Summit also marked a milestone: the announcement of the Water Resiliency Fund, a new major initiative to strengthen water security in border communities.
Together, the United States and Mexico are demonstrating that when we invest in water, energy, mobility, and cities, we do more than build infrastructure—we build stronger, more resilient communities, and strengthen the economic, cultural, and family ties between our two nations.