WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted a delegation of senior executives from Union Railway, the company mandated to develop a national freight and passenger rail system in the U.A.E., for a breakfast discussion with member companies and U.S. railway industry leaders. H.E. Hussain Al Nowais, Chairman of Union Railway, and Richard Bowker, Chief Executive Officer, briefed participants on the company’s objectives and the U.A.E. leadership’s vision for a safe, efficient rail system connecting the country’s principal cities and centers of industry.

During his remarks, H.E. Hussain Al Nowais highlighted the U.A.E.’s commitment to building a sustainable and diversified economy with a “thriving industrial and logistics sector.” “This project,” said H.E. Hussain Al Nowais “marks the beginning of an era of long-term investment in building state-of-the-art rail networks across the nation and the region as a whole.” Richard Bowker also presented on the status of Union Railway’s plan to develop a national freight and passenger rail system throughout the seven Emirates in the next eight years. Mr. Bowker emphasized that while this is a new industry for the U.A.E., it will also bring “opportunities for partners in the United States and around the world to participate in an exciting and unique venture.”

The delegation will be traveling throughout the United States this week for meetings with counterparts at the biggest freight rail companies and locomotive manufacturers in the country. The goal of the mission is for U.A.E. rail officials to exchange ideas on best practices and identify areas for future collaboration. While in Washington, DC, the delegation also met with U.S. rail policy makers and rail regulatory, safety and security experts. Union Railway will host an Industry Outreach Workshop in Abu Dhabi on 24 March for companies with experience in all aspects of railway projects, including architecture, engineering, construction, equipment manufacturing, and signaling and telecommunications.

Picture Credit: left to right CEO of Union Railway Richard Bowker, Chairman of Union Railway H.E. Hussain J. al Nowais, and President of U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council Danny E. Sebright