UAE Consul-General and Florida Governor discuss economic relations.

Majid Al Suwaidi, the UAE Consul-General in New York, and Florida Governor, Rick Scott, have discussed economic relations between the UAE and the State of Florida and means of boosting them in various fields.

Al Suwaidi’s meeting with Florida Governor is part of an ongoing effort to strengthen bilateral ties and promote shared interests. He was accompanied by Danny Sebright, President of the US-UAE Business Council and officials from the UAE Embassy in Washington, DC.

The discussion followed meetings in Orlando with local businesses, government officials, and representatives from the travel and tourism industries. The Consul-General also met with representatives Enterprise Florida, the state’s principal economic development organisation.

Commenting on his meeting with Florida Governor, Mr. Al Suwaidi said, "It was a pleasure meeting with Governor Scott and discussing areas of future collaboration. The UAE’s longstanding partnership with the state has flourished in recent years and has helped to pave the way for new investment opportunities for both the UAE and Florida."

"The UAE is a significant economic partner to the state. In 2016, Florida exported over US$1.5 billion in goods to the UAE, making Florida a top five US exporter to the UAE," he added.

During the meeting, Al Suwaidi highlighted the UAE’s recent ventures in the state, including Gulftainer’s $100 million investment in its first US terminal at Port Canaveral. The new terminal is projected to contribute more than $630 million to Florida’s local economy and create thousands of jobs.

"Emirati companies have found Florida to be an attractive market to invest in," Al Suwaidi said. "From Orlando to Tampa and Miami, UAE-based companies are investing millions of dollars, ensuring that the economic relationship between the UAE and Florida continues to strengthen."

He also discussed the UAE Space Agency’s partnership with NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre to collaborate in aeronautics research and the exploration and use of airspace and outer space, reinforcing the UAE’s robust and dynamic relationship with the state.

He noted the significant impact that UAE airlines have had on Florida’s tourism-driven economy. In the past two years, Emirates Airline launched daily flights from Dubai to Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, bringing thousands of visitors to Central and South Florida.

These flights, he said, provide hundreds of millions of dollars of economic impact and thousands of jobs to Florida. They also provide access to new markets in the Middle East and Asia for Florida businesses.