Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey recently completed a visit to three countries in the Gulf region: the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. The trip resulted in the signing of several cooperation agreements in artificial intelligence and education, as well as a major investment by the Emirati company Hotpack, which committed $100 million to establish a new manufacturing facility in Edison, New Jersey.
Governor Murphy’s visit was primarily focused on economic matters. He aimed to promote New Jersey and attract additional investments from the Gulf region. He brought a wealth of financial data, highlighting potential investment opportunities in education, artificial intelligence, infrastructure, health care, scientific research, and other key industries.
The timing of the visit is significant, as it occurred two weeks before the upcoming official trip by President Donald Trump, who is expected to visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates in mid-May. Additionally, the trip comes just eight months before Governor Murphy concludes his term in office in January 2026.
During his stay in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Governor Murphy met with numerous business leaders and organizations interested in exploring investment opportunities in New Jersey. A letter of intent was signed to foster collaboration between King Saud University and Rutgers University.
What did Gov. Murphy do during his official trip?
In the Kingdom of Bahrain, the governor met with several senior government officials, including Abdullah Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, and Rawan Tawfiqi, Minister of Youth. A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Masari Authority in Bahrain and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. This agreement aims to provide valuable training opportunities for young people from Bahrain in New Jersey.
The governor did not meet with many of Bahrain's business figures, as his visit coincided with the Bab Al Bahrain Economic Conference on April 29, which brought together the majority of Bahrain's business leaders and several international economic officials.
At a roundtable event attended by reporters, Governor Murphy stated, “The state of New Jersey alone exports goods worth eighty-two and a half million United States dollars to the Kingdom of Bahrain each year, and we hope to see this figure increase.”
In response to a question from The Media Line about the outcomes of his trip, Governor Murphy said, “I feel very good. My visit was very successful. I conducted numerous meetings in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Kingdom of Bahrain, and there will be additional meetings in New Jersey with officials who were not present during my visit here because they were not in Bahrain. The Kingdom of Bahrain is the twelfth country I have visited as part of an economic mission, and the United Arab Emirates will be the thirteenth.”
When asked whether the tariffs imposed by the administration of former President Donald Trump might hinder investment or diplomatic relations, Governor Murphy replied, “I am not someone who supports tariffs. I think they can be used if you are dealing with an adversarial country, but when dealing with allies, a different approach is better.”
He added, “I cannot speak on behalf of the administration of President Donald Trump, but in my personal view, the fact that the United States has a free trade agreement with the Kingdom of Bahrain is a positive development. The country is a strategic ally, especially in terms of military cooperation, particularly with the naval forces. Therefore, I am optimistic that things will progress in a positive direction.”
Governor Murphy continued, “President Donald Trump wants more manufacturing to take place in the United States, and so do I. We want to see more of it in New Jersey. In fact, I am currently working with the state legislature to pass a comprehensive bill that would incentivize multinational companies to manufacture products in the state of New Jersey, so they would not have to be concerned about tariffs. I support the idea of producing more within the United States, though I would approach it differently.”
He also expressed, “I remain optimistic. I probably would not be here if I did not believe we could achieve success.”
Governor Murphy highlighted that the Kingdom of Bahrain could serve as a strategic entry point for investment into the Gulf region, similar to the Republic of Singapore's role in Southeast Asia. He noted, “We can establish our base in the Kingdom of Bahrain and expand into the rest of the Gulf Cooperation Council.”
The governor also observed that the Bahraini economy aligns closely with New Jersey’s interests in green energy, artificial intelligence, and the pharmaceutical industry. He praised the Kingdom of Bahrain’s strategic role in the region and expressed confidence in overcoming recent customs-related challenges. He reaffirmed his commitment to fostering meaningful partnerships based on collaboration rather than economic penalties.
Governor Murphy’s visit to the United Arab Emirates proved even more fruitful. He secured a $100 million investment from Hotpack, which specializes in environmentally friendly food packaging solutions. The investment will be used to establish a manufacturing plant in Edison, New Jersey. This facility will be the company’s first production base in North America. It is expected to span 70,000 square feet and commence operations in June 2025, creating approximately 200 new jobs over the following five years.
In a statement to the Emirates News Agency, Governor Murphy said, “There are many significant investments, perhaps the most notable being the recent multi-billion dollar investment made by the Emirati holding company ADQ in Energy Capital Partners, an energy and private equity firm based in the town of Summit, New Jersey.”
He also noted that several memoranda of understanding were signed during his visit between universities in New Jersey and their counterparts in the United Arab Emirates. These agreements aim to deepen academic and research cooperation in areas of shared interest.
Governor Murphy shared an overview of New Jersey, emphasizing that it is one of the most diverse and technologically advanced states in the United States. With a population of approximately 9.5 million people, it is the 11th most densely populated state in the country.
He added, “The state of New Jersey has a robust public education system and is home to prestigious universities, such as Princeton University. It is a major hub for innovation in sectors like technology, life sciences, and sustainable energy. Approximately twenty percent of the gross domestic product of the United States is either generated in or passes through New Jersey.”
Murphy noted that the state is heavily involved in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, life sciences, information technology, telecommunications, generative artificial intelligence, sustainable energy, advanced manufacturing, logistics, film and television production, and digital financial technologies.
As he returns home, the challenge will be translating high-level agreements into lasting impact on the ground, ensuring that New Jersey remains globally connected well beyond 2026.