This policy brief is the result of Convocation 5.0, a high-level trilateral dialogue hosted by Inter-American Dialogue’s Mexico Program in collaboration with the U.S.-Mexico Foundation and the Weiser Diplomacy Center at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. It presents key insights from the conversations that convened former ambassadors from Mexico, the United States, and Canada, along with policymakers, business leaders, academics, and experts, to assess the future of North American cooperation. The report examines the region’s most pressing challenges and opportunities across security, migration, trade, innovation, energy, China’s global role, and educational and professional exchange.
As North America enters a period of heightened geopolitical competition, economic uncertainty, and institutional transition, the need for deeper regional coordination has become increasingly urgent. The United States, Mexico, and Canada share integrated supply chains, a highly connected workforce, strong commercial ties, and extensive people-to-people networks. Yet the region continues to face fragmented policy approaches in areas that are fundamentally interconnected, including border security, labor mobility, industrial competitiveness, energy integration, innovation, and diplomacy. Strengthening trilateral cooperation will be essential to ensure that North America can respond effectively to global competition while advancing shared prosperity and resilience.
This brief outlines practical pathways to move beyond fragmented national strategies and toward a more coordinated regional agenda. It highlights opportunities to reinforce North America’s competitiveness, strengthen institutional trust, deepen cross-border collaboration, and build a more secure, resilient, and integrated region.
