Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson announced his state's newly formed economic pact with Israel.
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Officials from Arkansas and Israel signed a Memorandum of Understanding solidifying an agreement to promote a partnership in the areas of technology and research and development in business and education.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Hutchinson called the pact a "mutually beneficial partnership," adding that it "builds on the momentum we have created for the past eight years to develop a tech-based workforce that can meet the needs of a 21st-century economy. In addition, this agreement allows us to strengthen our relationship with a critical ally to the United States."
He added that "it's going to make a big difference in the future of mobility and how quickly we can improve our supply chains."
Last year, trade between Israel and Arkansas was valued at more than $100 million, stated the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, a figure that includes Arkansas exporting more than $35 million in manufactured goods to the Jewish state.
According to the Washington Free Beacon, Arkansas and Israel shared more than $400,000 in binational foundation grants in agriculture research and development; science and technology; and industrial research and development.
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Ami Appelbaum, chief scientist and chairman of the board of the Israel Innovation Authority, called the partnership a "collaboration between similar states that have very similar challenges, as the governor mentioned: agriculture, medical, and of course, autonomous transportation."
Approximately 2,200 Jews currently live in Arkansas, making it one of the states with the smallest Jewish population in the nation.
JNS.org contributed to this report.
