UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade Promotes Trade Agenda during Florida Visit

HE Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi Meets South Florida Mayors and Business Leaders to Strengthen UAE-US Commercial Ties

Washington, DC – June 27, 2022 – United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister of State for Foreign Trade HE Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi recently concluded a successful two-day visit to Florida, which focused on expanding the bilateral UAE-US trade and commercial relationship. His trip to the “Sunshine State” builds on recent economic development missions to the UAE by local South Florida officials.

Minister Al Zeyoudi met with Broward County Mayor Michael Udine, Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam, and Chairman of the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners Jose “Pepe” Diaz.

The leaders discussed ways to enhance collaboration between the UAE and Florida, with a focus on investment, tourism, city planning, and healthcare. These meetings follow a delegation in March by Florida mayors to Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai where they engaged with the UAE business community and attended closing events for Expo 2020 Dubai including visiting the US Pavilion.

“Florida is the commercial gateway to the Americas and the UAE sits at the crossroads of global trade and commerce. It makes perfect sense that the Emirates is developing close ties with this economically vibrant region,” said UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade HE Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi. “The UAE was pleased to host multiple delegations of Florida mayors recently and we remain committed to expanding economic partnership opportunities here.”

In Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Minister Zeyoudi attended high level business development and networking events and meetings hosted by the US-UAE Business Council, The International Trade Consortium (ITC), Enterprise Florida, a public-private partnership promoting economic development in Florida, and eMerge Americas, an organization focused on establishing Miami as the tech hub of the Americas.

In 2021, Florida exported over $1 billion of goods to the UAE, making it one of the top 10 states exporting to the Emirates. These exports supported an estimated 6,000 U.S. jobs. The UAE also exported over $180 million of goods to Florida that same year.

During Miami Mayor Francis Suarez’s visit to the UAE in March, he signed a sister city agreement alongside HE Abdulla Al Basti, Secretary-General of The Executive Council of Dubai, deepening ties between the cities of Dubai and Miami. Crown Prince of Dubai H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum attended that signing ceremony.

In July 2021, Emirates Airline began its first-ever passenger service between Dubai and Miami, opening new business and leisure opportunities between the UAE and South Florida. Emirates has also been flying to Orlando since 2015, and it previously serviced South Florida through Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport from 2016 through 2020. 

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