Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s first official trip to the United States is intended to strengthen the UAE’s long-standing ties with the United States. The tour, which includes a meeting with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in Washington, D.C., aims to transition the alliance into a new phase centered on economic collaboration and technological achievements.
According to Anwar Gargash, Sheikh Mohammed’s senior diplomatic advisor, the UAE’s primary priority is to plan for and ensure future economic stability. He stated that this visit is part of a trend toward “geo-economic” cooperation, which extends beyond conventional themes like oil, defense, and regional conflict. While issues such as the continuing conflict in Gaza will be discussed, the major focus will be on how the UAE and the United States can work together more in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), renewable energy, climate solutions, and space exploration.
The UAE wants to strengthen its economic connections with the United States by concentrating on innovation, notably in AI. Earlier this year, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, emphasized the UAE’s potential to serve as a “regulatory sandbox” for AI technology, allowing companies to experiment with new developments. This increased emphasis on AI is bolstered by considerable expenditures from big US corporations such as Microsoft. In April, Microsoft invested $1.5 billion in G42, the UAE’s leading AI startup, underlining the country’s strategic direction.
Meetings with major US business leaders and technology executives will also be scheduled during the trip. These exchanges are likely to strengthen the UAE’s objective of increasing American investment in its economy. While the UAE works closely with the United States, it also has significant economic and diplomatic ties with China. However, new limits on chip technology imposed by the Biden administration reflect US worries over technology transfer to Beijing, complicating the UAE’s foreign ties.
The connection between the UAE and the United States extends back over five decades. Trade between the two countries reached $31.4 billion in 2023, with $24.8 billion coming from US exports. The UAE is a large investor in the United States, having invested more than $1 trillion in real estate, infrastructure, and technology. Key participants in pushing these investments are the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Mubadala.
As part of its larger collaboration with the United States, the UAE has played an important role in defense and security activities. It hosts the American air base at Al Dhafra and has collaborated with the US in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other crisis zones. The UAE has played an important role in countering terrorism, including participating in coalitions against groups such as ISIS and al-Qaeda.
In the face of continued regional turmoil, including as the Gaza conflict and escalating tensions between Hezbollah and Iran, Sheikh Mohammed’s visit provides a strategic chance to spell out future intentions. The UAE wants to strengthen its ties with the United States so that the two countries may work together on economic, technical, and security challenges in the future.
The original content from CNBC, written by Emma Graham and Dan Murphy. The original article was published on September 20, 2024. You can check out the full article here.
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