ERFURT_ It was a trip to the third largest economy of the Arab world and to a region that forms a hub for significant trade flows: From January 21 to January 26 a 24‑member business delegation from Thuringia under the leadership of Dr. Arnulf Wulff, LEG authorized signatory and head of acquisition, Thuringia International and Cluster Management, was in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The LEG team Thuringia International organized the trip. “The many Contacte and conversations have confirmed that this region offers lucrative opportunities for our Thuringian companies for business and cooperation,” says Andreas Krey, Managing Director of LEG. “The focus of the trip was on technologies for sustainability and health. Here companies from the Free State have many competencies that are attractive for companies and research institutes in the Emirates. At the same time these are topics that are being intensively worked on on site there – business and cooperation partners from Germany and especially from Thuringia are very welcome .“
The UAE are Thuringia's third most important trading partner in the Arab world. Thuringia's export volume to the UAE has been stable at around 50 million euros since 2014. Mainly machinery and equipment as well as medical technology and pharmaceutical products are exported. The Emirates, which are increasingly opening up to the West and relying on modern technologies, have recently expanded their cooperation with other regions on various continents. In addition, the region is currently hosting major events: The EXPO 2020 world exhibition is taking place in Dubai until the end of March; from January 24 to 27, the Arab Health medical technology trade fair opened its doors. The Thuringian delegation visited both events: In the German Pavilion, the Thuringian technology initiative “smood – smart neighbourhood“ presents itself; it presents – funded by the Federal Ministry of Research – the model of a combined technology for generating, storing and converting energy in an urban district. Following on from this, LEG and the “Thüringer Erneuerbare Energien Netzwerk e.V. (ThEEN)“ held a workshop in Dubai on the topic of “Energy efficiency in residential districts and technologies for sustainability from Thuringia“, which brought Thuringian expertise closer to partners from the Gulf region. Arab Health, in turn, is the largest industry platform for innovative medical technology solutions for the Middle East and North Africa – an excellent opportunity for the Thuringian delegation participants to establish or expand Contacte with international partners. Thuringia has been represented at Arab Health under the leadership of “Thüringen International“ for over ten years now, and this year's number of exhibitors at the joint stand set a new record with 12.
Further program items of the trip involved meetings and visits in the context of establishing and deepening Contact with various partners in the Gulf region, including a briefing by the German-Emirati Chamber of Industry and Commerce, a business roundtable with representatives of the Emirate of Ras al Khaimah, as well as visits to the association “Emirates Green Building Council“, to the real estate and construction company Majid Al Futtaim, to RAK Cement Co., and to the future project Sustainable City, Diamond Developers. In view of the fact that personal Contacte are very valuable, the delegation was pleased that, within the framework of a trip conducted in compliance with all pandemic protection regulations, the opportunity for direct talks and encounters could once again be taken.
More information at www.thueringen-international.de
