US Consul General HE Rob Waller visits Al Habtoor Group Chairman

Al Habtoor Group Chairman, Khalaf Al Habtoor welcomed the US Consul General to Dubai, His Excellency Rob Waller, to the Al Habtoor Group’s head office on Tuesday, November 26.  

The group, which included Paul Rayner, Advisor to the Chairman, discussed bilateral ties between the UAE and the United States as well as trade between the two nations. They also discussed the political and economic situation in the region in the wake of the Arab Spring. 

Khalaf Al Habtoor said, “It was a pleasure to receive His Excellency Rob Waller to the Group.  There is a lot of focus on the Middle East and North Africa region at the moment. The MENA region is in the process of transforming into one of the most dynamic high-growth markets.” 

The United Arab Emirates is currently the United States’ largest trading partner among Arab and Middle East countries. US exports to the UAE reached $22.5 billion in 2012, a 40 per cent jump from the previous year. 

Al Habtoor added, “The UAE is fast becoming a focused hub for trade and tourism. We have two major international airlines as well as several ports which have helped increase both trade and tourism to and from many nations. There are many further development projects underway. Our infrastructure development just keeps on evolving for the betterment of the nation.” 

HE Waller also took the opportunity to congratulate Al Habtoor on the Al Farooq Omar Ibn Al Khattab Mosque and Centre, following his visit there last month with a US delegation from the American Consulate in Dubai.  He praised the role the mosque plays in bridging communication between various religions from the East and West. The Al Habtoor Group Chairman built and donated the mosque to the UAE last year to promote religious understanding.