The United Arab Emirates plays a small but pivotal role for Louisiana exporters, and the country’s role as a gateway to the Middle East and Africa will likely become more important in the coming years, as Business Report features in its latest issue.
While the UAE export numbers are currently not large, the tiny country remains one of the most vital landing points for the state’s energy exports, and the UAE’s importance is likely to increase over time.
Louisiana Economic Development has led trade missions to the UAE for the past eight years or so, and those missions were very successful on a micro level, according to officials. The small, family-owned oil and gas or energy-related firms that made the UAE trips have received millions in business as a result.
Bert Hofhuis, a London-based financial analyst and former asset management policy adviser for the country of Malawi, says Louisiana’s petroleum products are in high demand.
Advanced extraction and processing facilities make Louisiana a key player in the global energy market, he says. This specialization in energy commodities means Louisiana is a crucial supplier to energy-consuming countries such as the UAE.
