Spain and Portugal advance their partnership with the Governors and Prime Ministers of the Great Lakes of St. Lawrence (GSGP) following a trade mission

The US delegation participated in more than 50 meetings, including B2B matchmaking sessions and institutional meetings with local trade associations, such as AECIM in Madrid and AEP in Portugal.

GSGP delegates engaged with influential organisations and stakeholders in the artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, advanced manufacturing and logistics sectors. B2B meetings offered companies structured avenues to connect directly with potential business partners and explore co-development opportunities in both countries.

The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers (GSGP) brings together the chief executives of 8 U.S. states and 2 Canadian provinces to work as equal partners in growing the region's $8 trillion economy. The group is nonpartisan and It represents what would be the third largest economy in the world, if the region were a country.

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence region contains the 20% of the world's freshwater surface, the largest reserve in the world. This puts the region in a unique position to champion sustainable growth and global economic collaboration, especially in emerging technologies.

Industry Highlights: Advanced Manufacturing and Technological Innovation

The rapid advancement of the artificial intelligence, electric vehicle and manufacturing sectors in Spain and Portugal complemented the GSGP delegation’s expertise, laying the foundation for further growth and innovation. The delegation’s engagement with AECIM provided strategic insights and opportunities to expand manufacturing capabilities, exchange know-how and jointly develop new products. Meetings with Portugal’s AEP fostered similar collaborations, especially in sectors such as tourism, aerospace, logistics and energy.

Collaboration opportunities in the maritime, tourism and industrial sectors

The trade mission also identified significant opportunities for interregional growth in the port, tourism and industrial sectors. The ports of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region are crucial for North American trade, and partnerships with Spanish ports (3 of the top 10 in Europe) enhance access to the markets of the Mediterranean (Barcelona, Valencia), North and West Africa (Algeciras and Las Palmas) and increase trade flows, as well as economic spending in those areas.

Tourism could also become a focus of interregional collaboration. Both the Great Lakes region and the Iberian Peninsula have rich natural and cultural resources that can be harnessed through joint tourism initiatives.

Conclusions: Laying the foundations for long-term collaboration

The St. Lawrence Great Lakes Governors and Premiers' trade mission to Spain and Portugal sets a precedent for how strategic international partnerships can drive economic growth, innovation and sustainability.

Partnerships and relationships forged during the trade mission may lead to major projects in the fields of renewable energy, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing. In addition, discussions on topics such as port logistics, tourism and agriculture highlight the broad potential for collaboration across a range of industries.

Trade missions like this one are vital to building relationships, collaborating and growing our countries. We thank Spain and Portugal for being such wonderful hosts and look forward to continuing to grow our partnership.

Zoe Munro,

Program Director at Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors andPremiers