While supply chains confront ever-changing global conditions, Georgia continues to lead the way in economic recovery. The state’s focus on strengthening longstanding economic partnerships includes leadership in the Southeast United States-Canadian Provinces Alliance (SEUS-CP), which returned to Georgia this summer for an in-person annual conference following a three-year hiatus.  

SEUS-CP was formed in 2007 between six Southern U.S. states and six Eastern Canadian provinces to bring business leaders together to enhance trade and investment, promote business partnerships, and encourage technological exchanges.  

The SEUS-CP Alliance is just one component of Georgia’s long-term commitment to international engagement. As a founding member of the Alliance with on-the-ground representation in Canada for more than four decades, Georgia was also the very first host of the SEUS-CP conference in 2008. Georgia’s largest export market is Canada, with $6.2 billion in exports to our neighbor to the north in 2021 and total trade reaching $11.2 billion. 

Beyond Georgia, Canada is also a top export market for most southern states: Total goods and services trade among alliance members exceeded USD $40.6 billion in 2021. 

Georgia Leaders Highlight State Assets  

Georgia’s business and economic development community was happy to welcome SEUS-CP back to Savannah this year, where over 90 companies were represented at the three-day conference for a robust schedule of networking, business-to-business meetings, and tours of the Port of Savannah.  

The conference focused on North American innovation in logistics, electric vehicles, mobility, and sustainability, featuring an exciting lineup of speakers.  

Jannine Miller, Director of Planning with the Georgia Department of Transportation, moderated a panel about the adoption of electric vehicles, while Cliff Pyron, Chief Commercial Officer with the Georgia Ports Authority, facilitated a discussion about the future of North American supply chains. 

Sonny Perdue, University System of Georgia Chancellor and former Georgia governor, was part of a luncheon panel discussing the future of the U.S. and Canadian partnership. Perdue helped organize the first SEUS-CP in 2008.  

“When we started looking at who our trading partners were from Georgia, Canada just rose above all,” Perdue said. “We were already doing more business with Canada than we were anywhere else internationally. So it made all the sense in the world. Why not develop it?” 

Representing Georgia at the conference were Governor Brian Kemp and Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. They joined heads of delegation from the other Southeastern states and Canadian provinces. While government leaders are a vital part of the Alliance, the primary focus is to create lasting business connections. 

“The political relationships truly are on the periphery,” Wilson said about the conference. “It’s the business-to-business relationships that are driving this, and that helps drive our overall relationship with the provinces." 

B2B Meetings Forge Fruitful Connections 

As part of SEUS-CP's mission to create cross-border business relationships, Market Access International facilitated a B2B matchmaking program, which connected small businesses with chief procurement officials from globally recognized companies who were looking for new suppliers of goods, services, and innovative technologies. 

In total, 88 companies participated, with more than 900 B2B meetings taking place over the course of the conference. Nineteen Georgia companies participated, including six anchor companies in attendance: The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Airlines, Georgia Ports Authority, Georgia Power/Southern Company, Kia Georgia, and Norfolk Southern.  

These meetings served as a launchpad for potential business development. By the end of the conference, companies had already reported positive results from the initial interactions, and conversations among potential partners are ongoing.  

“SEUS-CP is truly a flagship international economic development partnership,” said Mary Waters, Deputy Commissioner for International Trade at the Georgia Department of Economic Development, which organized the conference. “The primary goal of the Alliance is to bring leaders together to foster cross-border business collaboration and create new trade opportunities. I am proud that so many companies were able to join us in Savannah to discuss new partnerships that will carry the Alliance forward. The conference reinforced the importance of Georgia’s partnership with Canada, and delivered an important opportunity for new business connections.” 

The success of this year’s conference highlighted the resiliency of the SEUS-CP relationships. Georgia looks forward to the continued promotion of the SEUS-CP Alliance when the conference heads to the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2023.  

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