Gateway Florida, Inc.

Gateway Florida, Inc. is the State of Florida’s public-private joint venture promoting Florida’s economic development through connectivity to Latin America and the Caribbean.  Building on the work of Florida FTAA, Inc., Gateway Florida works to promote the “Gateway of the Americas™” franchise throughout the hemisphere and in the United States.

Gateway Florida serves as an umbrella organization that supports several hemispheric economic development and quality of life pillars for our citizens and neighbors. 

Those pillars include:

• Promoting the Pathways to Prosperity of the Americas built around the free market democracies of the Americas, thirteen of which have existing or pending bilateral free trade agreements with the United States.  Bringing the headquarters of that organization to Florida to create jobs and serve as the platform for hemispheric economic integration.
• Promoting bilateral trade agreements between the United States and our friends in the region, with an immediate focus on the pending U.S.-Colombia and Panama trade agreements.  Encouraging Congress to provide the Executive Branch with the authority it needs to enter into new agreements.
• Promoting energy security and “green trade” in the Americas through the promotion of bio-fuels partnerships between Florida’s private and public sectors and our hemispheric partners and a strong Florida-Brazil partnership in the area of clean renewable fuels..
• Working with Florida’s legal community through the Miami International Arbitration Society (MIAS) to make the state the hemispheric center for the resolution of trade disputes and commercial arbitration
• Working with international, state-wide, and local organizations – such as Enterprise Florida, Inc., the Florida Chamber of Commerce, SouthCom, Council of the Americas, Center for Hemispheric Policy, the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, the Beacon Council, the World Trade Center Miami, CAMACOL and others  – to promote constructive engagement between Florida and the hemisphere through the National Export Initiative (NEI).

Gateway Florida was created in order that Florida broaden its Western Hemisphere agenda.  The pillars mentioned above dramatize that the State of Florida along with its hemispheric focused organizations, its international seaports, its international airports and its other hemisphere job creators are all advancing Florida’s hemisphere agenda.

Florida’s ownership of the title “Gateway of the Americas™” through its registered trademark means that we are the centerpiece of an increasingly integrated economy in the region. Gateway Florida will work with our private and public partners throughout the state to ensure that Florida holds that title and builds it into the future.