UAE Consul-General meets New Jersey officials, reinforces robust trade and cultural ties

NEW YORK – The UAE Consul-General in New York, Amna Almheiri, met with senior New Jersey state officials to highlight trade and investment opportunities in the UAE and underscore the already robust business and cultural ties between the UAE and New Jersey.

Earlier this week, the UAE Consul-General met with New Jersey Secretary of State Tahesha Way and senior leaders from Choose New Jersey, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, and the New Jersey-Israel Commission.

During the meetings, Almheiri highlighted the importance of strong trade ties between New Jersey and the UAE, and how trade is a key driver of economic growth. In 2020, New Jersey exported over US $752 million in goods and services to the UAE, making it the seventh largest exporter to the UAE among all 50 states that year.

She also noted that the UAE has been the U.S.’s top trading partner in the entire Middle East and North Africa region for 13 years in a row, with total bilateral trade exceeding $23 billion in 2021.

From agri-tech and healthcare to manufacturing and logistics, the UAE’s economic initiatives and infrastructure make it an ideal place to do business.

Almheiri stated that the historic Abraham Accords have also created new opportunities and are an important catalyst for additional growth and prosperity.

The Consul-General said, “From expanding business ties across numerous sectors to deepening engagement with New Jersey’s communities, the UAE-New Jersey relationship is only growing. It is friendships like this that make the UAE’s bilateral partnership with the United States so dynamic and strong.”

During her visit to the “Garden State,” Almheiri also met with senior executives at AeroFarms, a New Jersey-based leader in indoor vertical farming. Its wholly owned subsidiary in the UAE, AeroFarms AgX, has started construction in Abu Dhabi on a state-of-the art research centre focused on the latest developments for indoor vertical farming, innovation and agri-tech.

“It was an honour to welcome the UAE Consul-General Almheiri to Trenton yesterday during her first visit to New Jersey, especially as a fellow female leader during Women’s History Month,” said Way. “Our common desire to further trade, tourism, cultural cooperation, and more shows that there is a bright future between our state and the UAE.”

The UAE and New Jersey have a long-standing friendship that is exemplified by the support that UAE organizations provided following the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

Working closely with state officials and philanthropic organizations, the UAE became a partner in New Jersey’s recovery, helping dozens of schools in impacted communities upgrade their facilities and IT equipment, sending volunteers to New Jersey from the UAE to help with cleanup and debris removal in hard-hit areas, and providing community soccer fields for storm-impacted communities around the state.

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