Gov. DeSantis meets with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni

Image via EOG

As Florida’s state trade mission to Italy continues, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Italy’s leader, Giorgia Meloni, met Tuesday in an effort to “grow the relationship between Italy and Florida.”

“It was great to discuss relations between Florida and Italy with the Prime Minister today in Rome. We hope that Florida and Italy’s relationship continues to grow, and we welcome greater investment from Italian companies in our state,” DeSantis said. “We appreciate the Prime Minister hosting our trade delegation this week, and we are appreciative of her efforts to advance the interests of her country and her people.”

The Governor’s Office notes the commonalities between the European country and the state.

“Both share common bonds, values, industry, and trade, and many Italian Americans call Florida home. Both are peninsulas with historic significance and uniquely beautiful natural landscapes.”

The five-day mission takes 85 Floridians from government, business and educational sectors to Rome, Viareggio, Florence, Turin and Milan, with the hopes of enhancing a trade relationship worth $4.4 billion annually.

But statecraft wasn’t the sole purpose of Tuesday’s events. The Governor is also announcing a new SelectFlorida international trade development office to be opened in Italy, the 18th such globally.

“Florida is greatly expanding its Italian presence, and we are pleased to announce our newest international trade office will be in Italy,” DeSantis said. “Our brick-and-mortar presence here will continue the work of this trade mission in bringing more businesses, investment, and trade to Florida.”

Also on Tuesday, the Governor posted to social media that the delegation met in Viareggio with “three of the world’s top yacht makers at their shipyards — Sanlorenzo, Benetti and Overmarine — who each have footprints in Florida.”

“We’ve encouraged them to grow their investments in the Free State of Florida’s world-class ports and are working to bring more of their operations to our state,” DeSantis remarked.

FloridaCommerce Secretary J. Alex Kelly added that “Florida’s nation-leading yacht building industry” will benefit from the “strengthened” connection with the “epicenter of the world yacht building industry.”

The Governor has made trade missions a part of his administration.

In 2019, a delegation went to Israel under the auspices of Enterprise Florida.

Last year, DeSantis and others went to Japan, South Korea, Israel and the United Kingdom.