Two legal firms have agreed to collaborate to provide end-to-end support to New Zealand businesses wanting to take advantage of the business opportunities presented by Expo 2020 Dubai.

UAE-based, Banks Legal, and New Zealand based Hudson Gavin Martin today announced a formal collaboration following the confirmation of New Zealand's participation at Dubai's Expo 2020.

As a combined resource for businesses present in, or interested in entering the UAE and wider MENA markets, Edwin Lim, Partner at Hudson Gavin Martin, Nathan Banks, Managing Partner and Andrew Morris, Partner at Banks Legal are offering their extensive experience advising businesses on how to operate in the UAE and wider MENA markets.

The New Zealand Government has recently announced its commitment of over Dh141m (NZD53m) towards its participation at Expo 2020 Dubai to further promote trade in the region. The Government's commitment reinforces the significant growth in trade between the two countries and the wider MENA markets, over the past decade. New Zealand is currently exporting approximately Dh1997m (NZD750m) in goods and services to the UAE, now its 12th largest trading partner.

The announcement comes as the New Zealand Government moves closer to concluding a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Gulf Cooperation Council, of which the UAE is a member country. The FTA is anticipated to further improve trade ties and is estimated to deliver tariff savings of Dh240m (NZD90m) to New Zealand exporters.

The legal firm collaboration further supports the existing New Zealand Government and private sector focused on increasing trade across the Middle East region, with companies able to connect with legal firms in both countries with an understanding of the UAE business model and legal environment, and can help them to launch ‘in-market'.

Nathan Banks, Managing Partner at Banks Legal, says: “Over the course of a decade of consistent growth in trade activity and positive relations between New Zealand and the UAE, we have observed an increasing demand for New Zealand's innovative approach and knowhow across a broad range of industry sectors in the UAE and the wider region. Expo 2020 presents New Zealand with a prime opportunity to further enhance its international trade profile, showcase its breadth of capabilities across key sectors and to facilitate the export of New Zealand goods and services into Dubai and key emerging markets throughout the region.”

Edwin Lim, Partner at Hudson Gavin Martin, says: “Expo 2020 Dubai is a fantastic opportunity for New Zealand, and New Zealand businesses. The world wants and needs the innovations that keep coming from New Zealand and the market opportunities for New Zealand businesses in the UAE are real. Getting started in any business is not straightforward, particularly when you are outside the target market. Hudson Gavin Martin is delighted to be able to help, in association with Banks Legal, New Zealand businesses to get the best start possible in the UAE and other MENA markets, and to take full advantage of all that New Zealand's investment in Expo 2020 Dubai offers.”