North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state, opened a trade and innovation office in Tel Aviv, the first of its kind.
The new Office of Economy, Science, Education, Youth and Culture in Israel was inaugurated by the state’s minister-president, Armin Laschet, who is currently visiting Israel.
Laschet is one of three contenders to succeed Chancellor Angela Merkel as chair of Germany’s ruling centre-right CDU party. As opposed to one of his rivals for the post, Norbert Röttgen, who has been critical of Israeli policies, Laschet is known as a staunch supporter of the Jewish state.
Currently the deputy chair, Laschet is considered the leading candidate for the CDU leadership contest, which will be decided by a special party convention in Berlin.
Located at the Be All co-working space on Arlozoroff Street, the office is the first ever venture of that type. While North Rhine-Westphalia does not have any similar offices anywhere in the world, a number of federal states in Germany, the US, and elsewhere have agreements and offices dedicated to expanding ties with Israel.
The office, headed by Gil Yaron, a former Israel correspondent for the German daily, Die Welt, will operate in coordination with the Foreign Office in Berlin and the German embassy in Tel Aviv.
“Our office in Israel will bring the cooperation between our two states to a new level. We want to further strengthen the exchange and the meetings between universities and municipal, cultural and educational institutions and civil service groups,” said Laschet. “That’s a sign of our appreciation to our friends in Israel.”
Located in north-west Germany bordering The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia has a population of about 18 million and is considered the country’s economic centre.
Israeli trade with the state, which is home to Cologne, Bonn, and Dusseldorf, is about 800 million euros a year, Laschet’s office said in a press release. Some 120 Israeli businesses are located in North Rhine-Westphalia. Twenty-eight cities in the state have partnerships with Israeli municipalities.
