On July 21st, HIs Excellency Abdalla Shaheen, Consul General of the United Arab Emirates in New York, underscored the importance of the growing relationship between the State of Delaware and the U.A.E. during a virtual trade mission to the U.A.E., led by Export Delaware and OCO Global and supported by the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council. This virtual trade mission is a preliminary step to a planned in-person trade mission that Export Delaware hopes to take to the U.A.E. this February, coinciding with the annual Arab Health trade show and conference in Dubai.

Beth Pomper, Director International Business Development, Export Delaware, launched the session by remarking how the U.A.E. has been a “good friend” of Delaware. She noted the $82 million in exports from the State of Delaware to the U.A.E. last year, supporting an estimated 352 jobs. Further, she expressed her enthusiasm to bring a delegation of Delaware companies to the U.A.E. this February, on the margins of Arab Health.

Clockwise from Top Left: Beth Pomper, Director International Business Development, Export Delaware; HIs Excellency Abdalla Shaheen, Consul General of the United Arab Emirates in New York; Danny Sebright, President, U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council; Joe Hepworth, Director OCO Global

In his welcome remarks, Consul General Shaheen expounded upon the deep relationship the state has with the U.A.E., noting the major investment in the Port of Wilmington by Gulftainer, the world’s largest privately owned, independent port management corporation based out of the Emirate of Sharjah. Gulftainer will invest more than $500 million to develop the Port of Wilmington, which will in turn create thousands of jobs within the region, and help the port become one of the largest facilities of its kind on the East Coast. Consul General Shaheen emphasized the U.A.E.’s eagerness to further bolster bilateral economic ties, and he also provided a high-level overview of the measures the U.A.E. is taking to combat COVID-19 and to jumpstart business. 

Joe Hepworth and James Maley-Craig of OCO Global gave a detailed presentation of business opportunities in the U.A.E. Both individuals shared resources that can help Delaware companies engage in the region and offered practical advice, emphasizing that market research and due diligence is critical to undertake before setting up an office in the U.A.E.

Danny Sebright, President of the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council, and Christopher Ulmer, Senior Director at the Business Council, followed the general session with a breakout session on opportunities specifically in healthcare and life sciences in the U.A.E. They underscored the country’s focus on providing world-class healthcare and its eagerness to collaborate to this end not just with U.S. hospitals and research institutes but with pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, healthcare IT companies, and other innovative companies.  They also provided details on engagement opportunities during Arab Health.

This virtual trade mission and the planned trade mission to the U.A.E. this January build on a long history of engagement between the U.A.E. and Delaware. In February, Consul General Shaheen and Danny Sebright visited the Port of Wilmington Delaware. In 2018, Gulftainer signed a 50-year agreement to revitalize the Port of Wilmington. This investment in Delaware will help create thousands of local jobs, train new workers, and bolster the port’s shipping volume.