Miami Mayor Francis Suarez Set to Speak at Saudi Arabia-Backed Investment Summit

City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez will speak at yet another conference hosted by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund about the investment partnership between the kingdom and the U.S., raising more questions about his role in reshaping the country's repressive reputation.

The Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute, an organization funded by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), is hosting the FII Priority "Invest with Purpose" Summit at the Faena Hotel and Forum in Miami Beach from February 19-21. A press release for the summit says it "will convene world leaders, innovators, and visionaries to tackle the most pressing challenging and opportunities for our time."

This year's speakers include TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, Oracle CEO Safra Catz, Inter Miami CF managing owner Jorge Mas, Miami Dolphins owner and Related Companies founder Stephen Ross, former tennis star Serena Williams, and reportedly President Donald Trump, along with several Saudi Arabian officials.

"In the face of geopolitical tensions, rising living costs, and systemic challenges such as healthcare and labor market shifts, the FII Priority Summit will explore how strategic investments in innovation and sustainability can drive meaningful, long-term solutions in our rapidly changing world," the press release continues.

Over the last few years, the Miami Mayor has helped the repressive regime whitewash its bloody reputation.

As the Miami Herald uncovered, the mayor cozied up to PIF Governor and the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's right-hand man Yasir Al-Rumayyan at the investment fund's FII summit in Saudi Arabia and helped bring the FII Priority Summit "Humanity is the Priority" to Miami in 2023. With the City of Miami's seal and branding, Suarez spoke on stage of the conference promoting the country's wealth fund. He spoke once again during the 2024 rendition.

The PIF is also the client of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, the international litigation firm where Suarez works as a private attorney. (Suarez has reiterated that his participation and involvement in the Saudi conferences is unrelated to his work for the law firm).

For this year's conference, Suarez is set to speak alongside Saudi Arabia's Minster of Investment H.E. Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih and Citadel CEO Kenneth Griffin. The 25-minute speaking engagement on February 20 is titled, "Enabling Purpose: How to Create Resilient Economics for Uncertain Times."

"The world faces significant challenges today — from climate change to widespread technological and geopolitical disruptions," the description states. "Addressing those challenges in a way that ensures long-term prosperity will require significant investment from the public and private sectors ... In an uncertain global economy, how can governments and private investors work together to de-risk opportunities and enable investment flows into the sectors that will accelerate prosperity in the decades to come?"

The following day, on February 21, Suarez is slated to speak during an hour-long invite-only "conclave," called "Capital and Strategic Partnership: the Saudi-U.S. Investment Agenda," with the investment minister and the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States, her royal highness Reema Bandar Al Saud.

"As both nations deepen economic ties, what strategies and policy frameworks are needed to maximize the impact of these investments while fostering long-term collaboration?" the panel description states.

Under both discussions, Suarez is only described as the mayor of Miami.

However, his speaker details in the FII Priority mobile app notes, "In his capacity as mayor and as a partner at Quinn Emanuel Uruqhart & Sullivan, Suarez has traveled extensively throughout the Middle East — including multiple visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Israel — where he has championed Miami's emergence as a true global city."

Back in December, Suarez spoke virtually at the International MICE Summit, which was hosted by the Saudi Conventions & Exhibitions General Authority (SCEGA). The government agency aims to develop the country's conferences and exhibitions industry. The summit featured CEO of the Saudi Arabia Tourism Authority, the kingdom's minster of tourism, and the FII Institute CEO.

Suarez was the only sitting U.S. elected official who spoke at the conference, which focused on developing the country's tourism to help diversify its economy and sportswash its human rights abuses. (MICE is short for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions). A month earlier, he spoke at another MICE panel.

In August 2024, New Times spotted Suarez at the Esports World Cup closing ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He was seated in the front row, several chairs away from the crown prince.

New Times reached out to a spokesperson for Suarez and had not heard back at the time of reporting.