Above: New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo with Dominican President Danilo Medina in Santo Domingo (Photo: OPDR)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo met Friday with Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina as part of a Caribbean tour.

The two were joined by Minister of the Presidency Gustavo Montalvo, Foreign Minister Andres Navarro and Dominican Ambassador to the United Nations, Frank Cortorreal.

Cuomo said the Dominican community in New York had been growing, a development the state wished to “encourage and continue.”

“I’m very interested in further economic development efforts between New York and the Dominican Republic,” he said. “And I would like to see the State of New York doing economic development and trade missions with the Dominican Republic to foster that development, which I think would be good for New York and good for the Dominican Republic.”

Cuomo is on a trip to both the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, both home territories for large communities in New York State.

The two sides discussed economic and education, particularly in both pre-primary and higher education, according to a statement from the National Palace.

Cuomo expressed his interest in strengthening relations with the Dominican community, and spoke of New York State’s plan to form a new import-export bank to help businesses looking to tap foreign markets.