Growing Trade Ties | How the UAE-US Partnership Benefits States and the Nation

The United Arab Emirates has long served as a pivotal trade partner for the United States. Since 2009, the Emirates have ranked as America's top export market in the Middle East, importing over $31.4 billion worth of goods in 2023 alone. This mutually-beneficial economic relationship supports close to 145,000 jobs across all 50 states through direct exports as well as indirect employment.

States along the East Coast have particularly capitalized on opportunities afforded by trade corridors linking businesses to the vital Middle Eastern markets. New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut have emerged as leaders in leveraging commercial connections to the dynamic UAE economy.

New York exports over $3 billion annually to the UAE, sustaining some 20,000 jobs locally in industries like finance, technology, and manufacturing. These exports are facilitated by major ports like NY-NJ that handle a significant portion of U.S.-UAE maritime trade. Further north, thousands of jobs in Connecticut directly rely on the state's estimated $1.2 billion in exports to the Emirates each year.

For New Jersey, pharmaceutical exports constitute a backbone of the state's deep ties with the UAE. Companies based in NJ are well-positioned to serve Gulf markets through strategic East Coast ports and strong trade relations cultivated over decades. The prominent positions of these three states exemplify how global partnerships can benefit local communities through job growth and investment.

Beyond specific state impacts, the UAE plays an outsized role for American trade on the national level. As the fourth largest export destination worldwide, it enhances supply chain efficiency and introduces U.S. businesses to adjoining regions of vast opportunity. The future remains bright as both nations work to strengthen political, economic, and cultural bonds - ties that will surely foster shared prosperity for years to come.