Over the past 40 years, the United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have developed a close alliance built on security, prosperity, and a common outlook as well as a robust trade relationship.
During the last several years, Ohio and the UAE have forged a prosperous relationship. As of 2016, Ohio was the 7th largest state exporter to the UAE and, in 2017, exported more than $600 million worth of merchandise, a 29 percent increase since 2003. These exports - including aerospace products, chemicals, passenger vehicles, and jet propellers/turbines - support more than 4,000 Ohio jobs. As a result, many Ohio companies including Cleveland Clinic, Jones Day, and Limited Brands, have an increased presence in the UAE.
Cleveland Clinic, in particular, has a strong and historical relationship with the UAE, opening Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi in May 2015 by way of a partnership between Cleveland Clinic and the Mubadala Investment Company.
How can the two countries build on their existing trade partnership? What is the role of the UAE in promoting a positive agenda in the Middle East? What affect will the unrest in the Middle East – the violent conflict in Syria, the elevation of ISIS as a global threat, and other uncertainties - have on the Ohio-UAE relationship? How can the power of international partnerships address some of these issues?
Join us for a conversation with international leaders on the future of economic and business relations between Ohio and the UAE.