
UAE Foreign Minister Affirms Commitment to Strengthening Ties with the U.S.
DUBAI (Reuters) – The United Arab Emirates is actively enhancing its relationship with the United States, according to the Gulf state’s foreign minister. This development signals a shift towards more amicable relations following several points of contention during the Biden administration.
Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan made these remarks after the UAE’s ruler engaged in separate discussions with U.S. President Joe Biden, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, and Republican candidate Donald Trump earlier this week.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was on his inaugural visit to the U.S. as president—marking the first time a sitting Emirati president has visited the U.S. since the establishment of the UAE in 1971.
During this visit, President Biden acknowledged the UAE as a significant defense partner.
“My country, the UAE, is reaffirming its commitment to the U.S. relationship,” Sheikh Abdullah stated, although he did not elaborate further. He welcomed the designation as a major defense partner, indicating confidence in U.S. policies.
The UAE has been a security ally of the U.S., participating alongside American forces in various military operations, including the war in Afghanistan, and hosting U.S. troops in Abu Dhabi. Additionally, the UAE relies on the U.S. for its security within the Gulf region.
However, concerns have arisen in Washington regarding the UAE’s close ties with China and its implications for U.S. support of the UAE’s security.
Sheikh Abdullah expressed optimism about continued collaboration with Washington, stating, “The UAE remains very bullish about the U.S.”
This year, Abu Dhabi and Washington have strengthened their partnership in artificial intelligence, particularly after a state-backed Emirati technology firm agreed to remove Chinese hardware from its systems and divest from Chinese investments.
As part of this partnership, Microsoft has become a major investor in the Emirati firm G42. Sheikh Mohamed recently met with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang during the visit.