The conservation and management of natural resources shared between three countries, as it is the case in the Selva Maya, demands actions that motivate the unification of agendas in order to strengthen regional integration for the conservation of biodiversity through natural protected areas, and promotion of sustainable development in rural communities. With the objective of fostering trinational cross-border cooperation at an operational level, the directors and deputy directors of the bordering natural protected areas of Belize, Guatemala and Mexico have dedicated meeting spaces to encourage dialogue, reflection and the taking of integral actions promoting such cooperation. In this context, the voluntary alliance Grupo Operativo de Coordinación – GOC (Operational Coordination Group) whose main objective is to strengthen cooperation for the conservation of the Selva Maya was formed in 2015.

On August 22 and 23, the third working meeting of the Trinational Operational Coordination Group took place in the city of Chetumal, Quintana Roo. During the meeting the implementation of the 2017 work plan was reviewed as well as past and current bi- and trinational cooperation initatives systematized. Futhermore the main collaboration axes were defined for the joint design and elaboration of a cross-border cooperation strategy with the objective to pose a trinational conservation instrument that facilitates the management of shared ecosystems and  regional integration.