The Government of Mexico has reached an agreement with the United States to resolve the controversy over the Water Treaty of 1944. In response to warnings of sanctions from U.S. President Donald Trump, 'immediate water transfers' to the United States were announced as part of the agreed measures.
The joint statement from the Secretariats of Foreign Affairs, Environment, and Agriculture confirmed the agreed actions, which include the immediate transfer of water from international reservoirs and the increase of the U.S. quota in six tributaries of the Rio Bravo until the end of the current hydrological cycle.
The Water Treaty of 1944 stipulates that Mexico must deliver approximately 2.160 billion cubic meters of water to the United States every five years, while Mexico retains approximately 9.250 billion cubic meters, nearly four times more.
The Mexican administration has not specified the source of water for the transfers but has assured that the agreed actions were defined in technical meetings with authorities from both countries and will be formalized within the framework of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC).
The Mexican Government has indicated that drought at the border made it difficult to meet water deliveries, and both countries agree that the 1944 Treaty provides mutual benefits, thus its renegotiation is not considered necessary.
