Governor Kaine Announces Marketing Mission to Israel, Dubai and Morocco

Richmond - Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced that he will travel April 18-25, as the guest of the Israeli and Moroccan governments, to promote Virginia to business and government leaders. Governor Kaine also will participate in a confidential meeting with an economic development prospect in Dubai. He will be joined on the trip by First Lady Anne Holton and Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Patrick O. Gottschalk.

“All three of these destinations represent tremendous economic development opportunities for Virginia,” Governor Kaine said. “Israel is a global leader in water conservation and geothermal energy, as well as cutting-edge software, communications and the life sciences. Dubai is emerging as a world business hub, and Morocco, the third largest importer of Virginia agricultural products, has a growing, diverse economy.”

Governor Kaine will participate in two roundtable discussions in Israel with representatives from the life sciences and manufacturing industries. He will also meet with three Israeli companies, Oran Safety Glass, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Strauss Group, all of which recently made significant investments in Virginia. Governor Kaine will meet with the President and Prime Minister of Israel and the Prime Minister of Morocco. The U.S. Ambassador in Israel will host a reception with Israel business leaders in Governor Kaine’s honor.

This is Governor Kaine’s fifth overseas marketing mission. In 2006, he traveled to Canada in May and Europe in November. In April 2007, because of the tragedy at Virginia Tech, it was necessary that Governor Kaine cancel his participation in a marketing mission to Japan and India and return to Virginia. The mission continued under Secretary Gottschalk’s leadership. In July 2008, Governor Kaine traveled to Ireland, Poland and the United Kingdom.