Mexico City Hosts APEC A2C2 Supply Chain Roundtable

Members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Alliance for Supply Chain Connectivity (A2C2) met in Mexico City for a Regional Roundtable on Jan. 13. The meeting brought together APEC economy representatives and private-sector leaders to advance practical cooperation on supply chain resilience and the digitalization of trade and customs processes.

According to the US Council for International Business (USCIB), the roundtable focused on the “supply chain digitalization journey” as a way to improve efficiency and strengthen regional resilience, aligning with US priorities to promote “fair and balanced” trade outcomes across the Asia-Pacific. 

Discussions centered on how economies can move from pilot projects to real-world implementation of digital trade tools, including upgrades to customs and border procedures. Panelists underscored three recurring success factors: early stakeholder engagement, disciplined change management, and targeted skills development to ensure both governments and industry can adopt new systems effectively.

USCIB highlights strong private-sector participation, with members contributing perspectives across industries with complex cross-border operations. Participants included Lisa Schroeter, Global Director of Trade and Investment Policy, The Dow Chemical Company, Sandra Fallgatter, Senior Director of US Trade Imports, Walmart,  and Mario Palacios, Managing Director of Global Government Affairs, Applied Materials. They shared lessons from retail, chemicals, and semiconductors supply chains as they digitize compliance and trade workflows.

Leah Liston, Director for Customs and Trade Affairs, Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR), hosted the roundtable, reinforcing the role of public-private coordination in translating best practices into domestic reforms.

Digitalization is reshaping logistics and international trade, and technology is increasingly critical to maintaining precision and reliability as the volume of data that must be processed “in real time” grows rapidly, writes Jorge Torres, Vice President, FedEx Express México, in a LinkedIn post. He adds that FedEx relies on standardized processes, advanced information exchange, and close collaboration with authorities to support both efficiency and security in cross-border shipments.

Torres also points to e-commerce-driven behavior shifts as a key pressure on supply chains. He says that 83% of businesses generate revenue through e-commerce, and that about 70% to 80% of sales occur via mobile devices, arguing that this reality requires supply chains that are more agile, resilient, and sustainable. He adds that the topics discussed at A2C2, including paperless trade, digitalization, and faster customs processes, are “imperatives” for competitive and sustainable growth, and highlights the importance of public-private partnerships to accelerate innovation and resilience.

The Mexico City roundtable expanded on priorities advanced during APEC’s 2025 Third Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM3) in Incheon, South Korea, where members emphasized expanding participation and strengthening private-sector engagement.

A2C2 was established in 2014 as an advisory channel for stakeholders across APEC economies, industry, associations, and other organizations to contribute to APEC’s supply chain connectivity agenda.

The roundtable also comes as Mexico positions itself for a larger role in APEC. In November 2025, Minister of Economy Marcelo Ebrard confirmed Mexico will host the APEC Leaders’ Summit in 2028, framing the decision as a sign of international confidence and a platform to strengthen Mexico’s ties across the Americas and Asia, MBN reports.