Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley attends a St. Patrick's Day reception at the White Houselat month. (Photo by Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley plans to depart Saturday on an eight-day trade mission to Israel and Jordan, a trip that was rescheduled as a result of last fall’s violence in the Gaza Strip.
O’Malley (D) is leading a delegation of more than 30 business, civic and higher education leaders, his office said, and he will promote Maryland as a destination for businesses seeking a U.S. presence, including those in life sciences, cybersecurity, information technology, aerospace and defense.
O’Malley’s itinerary includes meetings with Israeli President Shimon Peres and other government officials, a visit to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and dinner receptions with business leaders in both Jordan and Israel. He also plans to visit companies that already have offices in Maryland, including ELTA Systems, an Israeli aerospace company.
The mission is O’Malley’s third to Israel. He traveled there as Baltimore’s mayor and then again as governor in 2008. It will be his first trip to Jordan, his office said.
“As our economy strengthens, we know we must look beyond our borders for new avenues for trade and investment, particularly those countries – like Israel – that have invested heavily in supporting entrepreneurs and growing an innovation economy,” O’Malley said in a statement.