Expand your global reach through South Carolina’s Trade & Investment Mission to the United Arab Emirates!

This mission will promote South Carolina exports to the Middle East’s booming trade hub, the United Arab Emirates. In addition, the mission will serve to attract investment to South Carolina from the UAE and strengthen two-way government and academic ties between the two regions. Companies seeking export sales opportunities, elected officials, local economic development leaders, and academic leaders are invited to participate.

This mission offers companies an opportunity to meet with businesses in a country that has huge market potential and numerous companies looking to buy US products and services. In the first half of 2008 US exports to the UAE were up 42% from the same period in 2007, making the UAE the fastest growing market among the United States’ top 20 export markets. 

SC exports to the UAE are growing even more quickly than exports from the US as a whole, up 76%. A major exporter to the UAE, South Carolina ranked among the top ten states in terms of total exports to the UAE during the first half of 2008. As one of the Middle East’s most progressive countries, the UAE offers tremendous opportunities to SC companies looking to find distributors and representatives with the ability to sell their products and services all over the region.

South Carolina businesses that join the mission will pursue product and service export opportunities in the United Arab Emirates. They will receive fully customized, one-on-one appointments arranged by the US Foreign Commercial Service with potential buyers, distributors, representatives and business partners in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

A concurrent economic development delegation will be comprised of government, economic developers and academic leaders. They will meet with key UAE government and industry officials to strengthen two-way relations and tout South Carolina as the best place to locate in the United States.

The SC Department of Commerce is organizing this mission in conjunction with the U.S. Commercial Service, US Diplomatic Missions in the UAE, College of Charleston's Global Trade Initiatives, and UAE-based Jafza International.  

Jafza International is building a massive warehouse system, transportation hub, and business park on over 1300 acres of land in Orangeburg County. The planned $600 million project is estimated to generate thousands of jobs and is a prime example of the type of economic development opportunities that South Carolina can create by attracting UAE businesses to the state.

Sign up today for South Carolina’s Trade and Investment Mission to the United Arab Emirates. Registrations received by November 30 will enjoy a substantial early bird discount.