The Dominican Republic, Florida’s biggest market in the Caribbean area, welcomed around 20 Florida organizations and 40 to 50 Floridians to Santo Domingo this last Nov. 13-16 for an export sales mission driven by Enterprise Florida Inc.
The event comes at a perfect time, said Manny Mencia, senior VP of international trade and development, since another US ambassador to the Dominican Republic started in September 2018. The ambassador, Robin Bernstein, is a businesswoman from Palm Beach. Mencia said that Florida will have a friend responsible for US relations, so that’s something to be thankful for.
At the 2016 Republican National Convention, Mrs. Bernstein was a Donald Trump delegate and she filled in as one of President Trump’s Florida electors in the Electoral College.
Mr. Mencia portrayed the Dominican Republic as an “important market.” In 2017, Florida traded more than $3.1 billion to the island country, Mr. Mencia said. Respective exchange between the U.S. and the Dominican Republic totaled $12.5 billion in 2017, where Florida was the main state for two-day exchange. With $5.9 billion in complete exchange a year ago, the Dominican Republic is Florida’s seventh biggest exchanging partner and holds tremendous open doors for companies hoping to expand their impression in the Caribbean market.
According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the Dominican economy would develop by 5.1% in 2018 and remain the biggest economy in the Caribbean. Encouraged by the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement, the US has turned into the head exchanging accomplice for the Dominican Republic and exporters benefit from decreased tariffs and hindrances, Mr. Mencia said.
Via: Miami Today News
Published on September 4, 2018