New York – September 22, 2016 – The United Arab Emirates opened the UAE Consulate in New York City and appointed His Excellency Majid Al-Suwaidi as Consul General. The opening ceremony was officiated by Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and His Excellency Yousef Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to the United States. New York marks the country’s second consulate in the US after Los Angeles and further reinforces the growing UAE-US relationship.
His Excellency Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, joined the opening event as well as New York-area political figures and business leaders.
“New York City is an international hub for business and commerce, making it an integral part of the rapidly expanding relationship between the UAE and US,” Her Excellency Al Hashimy said. “This milestone enables our two countries to continue building robust ties right here in New York.”
New York is one of the top five exporting states to the UAE. These trade deals range from financial services to automobiles and support thousands of American jobs annually. New York is also the largest US port for UAE trade, with total trade growing from $626 million in 1999 to $1.9 billion in 2014.
Cultural engagement between the two countries is also growing as American academic and cultural organizations partner with UAE counterparts on a variety of new projects. Most notably, the UAE partnered with New York University to launch NYU Abu Dhabi, which brings NYU liberal arts and sciences curriculum to a global audience and helps to train the next generation of international leaders.
“From business to trade to fashion to education, we have so much in common,” Consul General Al-Suwaidi said. “Many Emiratis, especially students, come to New York City each year to pursue their career aspirations.”
Consul General Al-Suwaidi will play an instrumental role in bolstering ties with the US by promoting commercial relationships, increasing cultural exchanges and enhancing UAE-US cooperation in the East Coast. While the New York Consulate officially opened this week, it has already been engaged in several community partnerships for more than six months with organizations including the NYC Mayor’s Office for International Affairs, the New York Police Department and the New York City Football Club.
In addition to supporting UAE-US business, government and community partnerships, the New York Consulate will provide consular services, diplomatic documentation, and resources for commerce and trade. The UAE will open two other consulates in Boston and Houston later this year.
