Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a Florida trade pact Tuesday with the United Kingdom, the state’s top foreign investor.
DeSantis, a Republican presidential candidate, and UK Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch met at the Jacksonville Port and signed the agreement meant to increase trade, bilateral investment, business relationships and academic opportunities.
“This important partnership between Florida and the UK has great potential to grow even further, and today’s announcement maps out how we strengthen business ties between the two of us for the future,” DeSantis said.
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Trade and London business opportunities have played a role both statewide and locally over the past year – with DeSantis stopping in the city on a trade tour prior to his presidential candidacy announcement and Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan traveling in October.
DeSantis went to London, Israel, South Korea and Japan during his week-long trip in April. He touted the ongoing success of the trip Tuesday, saying he established opportunities with Japan and was working to continue strengthening the state’s relationship with Israel.
The UK has signed agreements with six other states, but Badenoch said Florida’s was the “biggest by far.”
The Florida-UK agreement will focus on expanding opportunities relating to space research, medical and financial technology, transportation infrastructure and artificial intelligence, DeSantis said.
The agreement also sought to connect Florida universities and research facilities with those in the UK, DeSantis said.
Badenoch said the agreement presented “huge opportunities for cooperation in some of the most important industries of the future,” specifically mentioning the aerospace advancements by Florida businesses.
“From connecting the globe through the World Wide Web to launching rockets to the moon, the UK and Florida are known around the world for endeavor and enterprise,” Badenoch said. “I have no doubt that this MOU has been to ignite some of the ideas and collaborations that will help shape the world to come.”
Deegan also met with UK delegation
Badenoch met with Deegan and business executives Tuesday morning before the governor’s press conference, calling the roundtable discussion “absolutely fascinating.”
Deegan called the meeting “a pleasure to share more about Jacksonville and our many attributes” on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Deegan, like previous Jacksonville mayors, went to London in October between overseas Jaguars games, meeting with 75 companies to encourage international business. She also worked toward establishing a direct flight from London to Jacksonville.
She said the group meeting Tuesday worked to “strategize on increasing trade and investment, enhancing business networks and growing jobs both in the UK and the state of Florida.”
Deegan did not attend the governor’s press conference because of conflicting meetings at City Hall, but expressed support later Tuesday afternoon.
“This morning’s meeting was the next step in furthering the Jacksonville-London relationship after our delegation’s recent trip there. I’m grateful for the Secretary’s visit and the discussion about increasing trade and investment and launching a direct flight,” Deegan said in a statement to the Times-Union. “The Memorandum of Understanding that was signed between the UK and Florida this afternoon is another exciting development that will bring more jobs and business to Jacksonville.”
