Governor Murphy to Lead Economic Mission to Gulf Arab States

TRENTON – Governor Phil Murphy will lead a delegation of industry and government leaders on a week-long economic mission trip to several Gulf Arab States in April, with visits to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. The mission will focus on strengthening cultural, economic, and academic ties while cultivating partnerships and international investment opportunities for New Jersey. 

Governor Murphy will lead the delegation, which will include First Lady Tammy Murphy, Choose New Jersey President & CEO Wesley Mathews, and New Jersey Economic Development Authority CEO Tim Sullivan. The delegation will depart New Jersey on Friday, April 25, 2025, and return on Saturday, May 3, 2025. The April trip marks the first of several missions the Governor will lead in 2025, including trips to Israel, India, and Mexico during his final year in office. 

“I am looking forward to leading this economic mission in April,” said Governor Murphy. “Strengthening New Jersey’s ties with our Gulf Arab partners and around the world helps us continue to build a strong innovation economy, attracting international businesses and industry leaders to invest in our state. I am thrilled to follow up this trip with missions to three additional key partners of New Jersey.” 

“This mission is an important opportunity to further strengthen New Jersey’s global leadership in key industries,” said Wesley Mathews, President & CEO of Choose New Jersey. “By deepening our partnerships in the Middle East, we are creating pathways for long-term investment, strategic partnerships, and collaboration for New Jersey.”

“Under Governor Murphy’s leadership, New Jersey has increased its connectivity around the world and its influence as an important economic leader on the global stage. Economic mission trips like this strengthen international partnerships and help expand key industries, grow businesses, and create jobs in the state,” said Tim Sullivan, CEO of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. 

The Gulf Arab States are key economic, political, and cultural partners for New Jersey. During the mission, the delegation will visit Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. Choose New Jersey will organize business roundtables, government meetings, higher education interactions, U.S. embassy briefings, and press engagements in each country. The Governor will also meet with U.S. service members abroad, including members of the U.S. military from New Jersey, at Naval Support Activity Bahrain (NSA Bahrain) – home to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and the U.S. Fifth Fleet.

Throughout his time in office, the Governor has led numerous successful economic mission trips to Germany, Israel, India, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Canada, and the United Kingdom — generating inward investment and jobs for New Jersey and strengthening the state’s role in the global innovation economy.  

Media interested in accompanying the Governor should contact Ingrid Austin at [email protected] as soon as possible.