USCIB Vice President for Investment and Trade Shaun Donnelly traveled to Riverside, California to address the Inland Southern California World Affairs Council on “NAFTA: Is It Good or Bad for America?” on June 22.  Clue – the correct answer is GOOD!  Donnelly, a retired U.S. diplomat and trade negotiator, laid out the history of NAFTA and broader U.S. trade policy and the key issues currently on the table as the U.S. government heads into a major effort to update the 23 year-old agreement with the Canadian and Mexican governments.

Addressing an audience of academics, students, business and community leaders plus Mexican consular representatives from the local consulate, Donnelly made clear the strong and broad support for NAFTA, and an updated, strengthened NAFTA, across USCIB’s membership and the broader business community.

“NAFTA has, on balance, clearly been advantageous to all three countries,” noted Donnelly.  “It’s time to update the agreement to address new issues but we should be thinking in terms of ‘a facelift, not a lobotomy.’”