AAPI Newsletter: September 2022

• Trade between Israel and the United Arab Emirates reached $212.6 Million in August 2022, constituting a 163% increase in trade from August 2021. For the first eight months of 2022, bilateral trade was just over $1.62 Billion, constituting a 121% increase in trade from the first eight months of 2021.
• Trade between Israel and Bahrain increased to $2.4 Million in August 2022, up from $0 in August 2021. For the first eight months of 2022, bilateral trade reached $8.6 Million, constituting nearly a 2,766% increase from the first eight months of 2021.
• Trade between Israel and Morocco reached $2.5 Million in August 2022, constituting a 19% increase in trade from August 2021. For the first eight months of 2022, bilateral trade increased to $27 Million, constituting a 17% increase in trade from the first eight months of 2021.
• Trade between Israel and Egypt increased to $25.9 Million in August 2022, constituting a 27% increase in trade from August 2021. For the first eight months of 2022, bilateral trade reached $201.2 Million, constituting a 40% increase in trade from the first eight months of 2021.
• Trade between Israel and Jordan was $47.2 Million in August 2022, constituting a 12% increase in trade from August 2021. For the first eight months of 2022, bilateral trade reached $355.3 Million, constituting a 33% increase in trade from the first eight months of 2021.

Note: Trade data published by the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics is published monthly for the preceding month.

September 5, 2022- The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange hosted a Moroccan-Israeli conference to discuss investment opportunities in Morocco.

September 5-6, 2022- Israeli business leaders hosted a high-level delegation from the United Arab Emirates at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange in a series of events which included the signing of several MOUs.

September 6, 2022- Orna Barbivai, Israel’s Minister of Economy, announced that Israel plans to open a trade mission in Morocco next year.

September 12, 2022- The Abraham Accords Peace Institute and the America First Policy Institute hosted a ceremony to commemorate the two-year anniversary of the signing of the Abraham Accords. 

September 13, 2022- Ambassadors to Belgium of the various signatory countries of the Abraham Accords attended a ceremony in the Belgian parliament in Brussels celebrating the second anniversary of the Accords. Hungary’s ambassador was also present.

September 13, 2022- Israeli Army Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi led an honor guard in Tel Aviv welcoming Lieutenant General Belkhir el-Farouk, inspector general of Morocco's Royal Armed Forces, upon his arrival for an international military conference. It marked the first time that the head of the military of an Arab country conducted a public visit to the Jewish state.

September 14, 2022- Bahrain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, participated in a ceremony held by the Embassy of the United States of America in the Kingdom of Bahrain on the occasion of the 2nd anniversary of the Abraham Accords

September 14, 2022- Morocco’s Abdelmalek Essaadi University and Israel’s University of Haifa signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to advance cooperation in marine research and technologies.

September 14, 2022- UAE-based Rabbi, Levi Duchman, got married in the largest Jewish wedding in the history of the Arabian Gulf.

September 15, 2022- The United States celebrated the second anniversary of the Abraham Accords, saying the historic normalization pacts between Israel and four Arab nations had brought greater peace and prosperity. The US State Department’s Near Eastern affairs twitter account tweeted: “Today we celebrate the second anniversary of the Abraham Accords……These agreements make once-impossible things possible.” The State Department’s spokesperson Ned Price stated that “we are thrilled to celebrate two years since the signing of the Abraham Accords and normalization agreements. The United States looks forward to helping strengthen and deepen these partnerships in the years to come.” Additionally, the Senate co-chairs of the Abraham Accords Caucus also released a statement celebrating the two-year anniversary of the Accords.

September 15, 2022-The UAE embassy in Israel celebrated the two-year anniversary of the Abraham Accords in a ceremony held in the presence of Israeli President Isaac Herzog and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed along with senior Israeli and UAE officials. During his visit to Israel, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Yair Lapid, former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and numerous other senior Israeli officials. He also visited Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center.

September 15, 2022-UAE President Mohamed Bin Zayed invited Israeli President Isaac Herzog to the Abu Dhabi Space Dialogue, which will take place in December 2022.

September 15, 2022- Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced that he will make a first of its kind visit to Bahrain in the coming months as the guest of Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

September 15, 2022- The Israeli embassy in Washington celebrated the second anniversary of the signing of the Abraham Accords, hosting diplomats from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, Egypt, and Jordan.

September 15, 2022-A delegation of young people from Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco celebrated the second anniversary of the Abraham Accords in an event in Washington, DC, hosted by the American Jewish Committee, supported by Voices of Israel and attended by officials from the White House, Congress and State Department. The event showcased the Leaders of Tomorrow program, an initiative of ISRAEL-is and the Mimouna Association of Morocco, as well as young leaders from other Accords countries. 

Mid-September, 2022- The first Israeli delegation on cultural heritage and entrepreneurship visited the United Arab Emirates for a professional seminar on entrepreneurship, innovation and knowledge exchange.

September 18, 2022-2,000 Jews traveled to Essouira in Morocco to celebrate the Yom Hiloula, the anniversary of the passing of a Moroccan rabbinic leader Rabbi Haim Pinto.

September 18-23, 2022- A delegation of Pakistani community leaders toured Israel as part of a regional peace initiative designed to foster deeper ties between the two countries. The trip, organized by Sharaka, featured meetings with President Isaac Herzog, local business leaders and political experts.

September 20, 2022- Israel’s economic ministry announced that Israel and Bahrain have begun negotiating a free trade agreement.

September 20, 2022- Representatives from The I2U2 grouping of India, Israel, UAE and the United States met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly and expressed commitment to deepening their partnership. According to a statement from the US State Department,  "the group expressed its commitment to deepening the economic partnership among the four countries. They took stock of current projects in agriculture and clean energy and reviewed potential projects to help further the group's objectives”.

September 20, 2022- Israel’s Sheba Medical Center announced its first-ever medical innovation agreement with Bahrain’s King Hamad American Mission Hospital (AMH) in Manama.

September 21, 2022- The United Arab Emirates delivered a joint statement on behalf of Israel, the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and the United States at the Human Rights Council in Geneva promoting the use of digital technology in achieving peace

September 23, 2022- Bahrain’s Ambassador to Israel Khaled Al Jalahma received the Ambassador of the Year award as well as the Diplomat of the Year award from the Ambassadors Club of Israel

September 29, 2022- Leading scientists from Israel and Morocco signed an academic cooperation agreement that will bring together top-tier scientists and researchers in the energy field from influential academic institutions in Israel and Morocco.