"The two presidents reaffirmed the enduring partnership between both countries, based on mutual respect, and the extraordinary bond of family and friendship," according to a joint declaration following talks on Monday, Biden's second virtual meeting with a foreign leader since taking office.

"Both leaders committed to working together to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, to reinvigorate economic co-operation and to explore areas of co-operation on climate change," the statement read.

"They also reaffirmed the importance of combating corruption and security co-operation."

Biden and Lopez Obrador agreed to "deepen co-operation on pandemic response, including by enhancing public health capabilities, information sharing and the development of border policies."

Before the meeting started, Biden said the possibility to share part of the US coronavirus vaccine supply with Mexico would be discussed, though no mention of it was made in the joint statement.

"The president has made clear that he is focused on ensuring that vaccines are accessible to every American. That is our focus," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said earlier in the day.

She added that sharing the vaccine was not part of plans.

The leaders also agreed on a joint effort to "address the root causes of regional migration, to improve migration management and to develop legal pathways for migration".

The processing of migrants at the US southern border was expected to be a major topic in the meeting, which was also attended by the Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas.

However it was not mentioned afterwards.

During a press briefing earlier on Monday, Mayorkas said the US was working to rebuild the entire US immigration system from the ground up.

The administration is especially focused on reunifying unaccompanied minors with family members, either in the US or in their country of origin, and will not deport children back to Mexico, he noted.

Former president Donald Trump came under fire for his child separation policy at the US border with Mexico which saw children separated from their parents and held in detention facilities.

"The Trump administration expelled children to Mexico," Mayorkas said.

"We are not expelling young children. We are not apprehending a 9-year-old child who has come alone, who has traversed Mexico. We are not expelling that child to Mexico when that child's country of origin was Guatemala, Honduras or El Salvador."

Australian Associated Press