Little Rock, Arkansas – Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has announced her upcoming overseas trade mission to Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), set to take place from Sunday, August 3 through Saturday, August 9. The weeklong trip is designed to deepen Arkansas’ international partnerships, attract foreign investment, and expand opportunities for the state’s key industries.
Strengthening Global Ties
“Next week I will have a chance to visit Israel, a country that I have long traveled to with my family and where my dad now serves as U.S. Ambassador, to meet with government officials and business leaders and deepen Arkansas’ economic ties,” Governor Sanders said in her statement. “Israel is a hub for innovation, especially in agriculture and manufacturing, and as my dad likes to say, is the one place in the world you visit for the first time and it feels like coming home. After Israel, we will meet with top government and business leaders in the UAE, a global leader in technology, to continue our effort to bring more foreign investment and jobs to Arkansas.”
Her schedule in Israel will include meetings with senior government leaders, cultural visits such as a trip to the Western Wall and Judea and Samaria, and roundtable discussions with Israeli companies working in agritech and defense. Sanders also plans to connect with businesses that already have investments in Arkansas, further solidifying those partnerships.
Focus on Aerospace and Defense in UAE
In the UAE, the Governor will shift her focus toward aerospace and defense, Arkansas’ largest export industry. She will meet with leading companies and government officials, highlighting Arkansas’ capabilities and potential for collaboration in high-tech and defense-related fields.
Building on Recent International Engagements
This trade mission follows Sanders’ earlier trips to Paris and Switzerland this summer, where she attended the Paris Air Show. Those meetings have already yielded results: after her discussions in France, L3Harris announced a $500 million investment in Camden, Arkansas, to construct large solid rocket motors, creating new jobs in the state.
With her upcoming trip, Sanders aims to replicate that success by forging stronger ties with Israel and the UAE, continuing her effort to position Arkansas as a competitive player in global markets.
