Pacheco: My wish list for 2024
I feel that the year 2023 didn’t just pass by — it swept by, sweeping me along with it. The past year was proof that change is constant, and the upcoming year will prove the same. As is my tradition, this is the time of year I look ahead at the new year and contemplate what I would like to happen. The following is my short wish list for 2024.
I wish that 2024 sees the wars between Israel and Hamas, and Russia and Ukraine both come to a ceasefire. This is necessary not only to prevent future bloodshed and human misery, but also to put a stop to supply chain disruptions caused by both conflicts. Wars create logistical problems, not only for the countries at war, but for countries across the globe.
I am hoping for true progress in the U.S.-China relationship, from a diplomatic and economic standpoint. The Chinese economy has hit a rough patch, which may make the country more inclined to cooperate with the U.S. to de-escalate tensions and stop bullying its Asian neighbors. For several years, China and the U.S have been in a trade war, with each country slapping tariffs on the importation of each other’s goods. This has caused prices to rise in both countries and created its own problems in terms of supply-chain disruptions. Neither superpower is going anywhere, and whether we like it or not, we are stuck with each other. It is best to realize this and to cooperate.
For several years, I have wished that Democrats and Republicans stop using immigration and border security as a political hot potato for their own purposes, and this wish persists in 2024. The U.S. immigration system is broken. Fixing it will require a bipartisan effort that sets political self-interests aside. The way we grant immigrants entry into the U.S. needs to change. We need to tap into the talent across the globe that wants to make their lives and careers in the U.S. We should not look at immigrants as a burden, but as a way to mitigate the aging U.S. workforce and to keep productivity high in our country.
The focus on border security should be on the implementation of technology and “boots on the ground.” Our current system, which encourages immigrants to come to our borders and turn themselves in to request amnesty, needs to be completely overhauled. I also wish that rather than getting bogged down in the effort of building more border walls, the U.S. will step up efforts to invest in ports of entry infrastructure. This is where most drugs and contraband enter the U.S. More Customs agents are needed on the front lines, and the installation of non-intrusive inspection technology, which allows Customs officials to quickly and more efficiently inspect more cargo and traffic, needs to be stepped up.
Like the U.S., Mexico holds presidential elections in 2024. I wish that our neighbor elects a new president who genuinely wants to build a good diplomatic and economic partnership with the U.S. At this point, Mexico is slated to make history, as the two major presidential candidates, former Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum and Senator Xochitl Galvez, are women, one of which will be the first female president in Mexico’s history. Likewise, I wish for smooth U.S. presidential elections in 2024, and a president who is genuinely interested in a strong relationship with Mexico, our most important trading partner.
As I have written in this column, climate change is increasingly affecting global trade by creating shortages, damages and supply chain disruptions. At the recently completed COP23 climate change conference in Dubai, almost 200 parties came together to agree on a “stocktake” aimed at increasing climate action before the end of the decade, the goal being to keep the global temperature change limit to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
According to the United Nations’ webpage, this is the “beginning of the end” of the fossil fuel era, which is achieved by laying the groundwork for a transition away from this traditional energy source by making more finance available for renewable projects and implementing deeper emissions cuts. This may be ambitious, but ambitious thinking and steps are needed to combat climate change.
My final wish for 2024 is that, as a nation, we dial back the vitriol and inconsiderate manners that seem to have infested themselves in the past few years. It is unbelievable that ethnic groups such as Jews and Asians would be fearful for their safety in the U.S. However, that seems to be the case with many people in these and other ethnic groups. The way we treat minority and marginalized groups in our country is a reflection on us throughout the world. It can become a factor whether talent wants to come to the U.S., and if foreign investors want to bring their money here. As individuals, let each of us try to be more tolerant and generous to our fellow citizens and visitors. This alone will make 2024 a wonderful year.
Jerry Pacheco is the executive director of the International Business Accelerator, a nonprofit trade counseling program of the New Mexico Small Business Development Centers Network. He can be reached at 575-589-2200 or at jerry@nmiba.com.
