“During the Trump administration, the United States and the United Arab Emirates relationship has grown deeper and broader than at any point before.”
– Secretary Michael R. Pompeo, October 20, 2020
Secretary Michael R. Pompeo will travel on November 21 to the United Arab Emirates where he will meet with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss the progress of the UAE’s normalization of relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords Declaration and other issues of bilateral concern including security cooperation and countering Iran’s malign influence in the region.
THE U.S.-UAE PARTNERSHIP GROWS IN DEPTH AND SCOPE
- The U.S.-UAE relationship is characterized by its increasing depth. This change is underscored by the October launch of a foundational strategic dialogue, participation in the Expo 2020 Dubai World’s Fair, and new security and economic partnerships tied to the historic Abraham Accords Declaration.
- Our partnership advances key priorities including combating malign activity, resolving regional problems, and combating extremism.
- The UAE continues to be one of America’s top export trading partners in the Middle East and North Africa region, with total bilateral trade surpassing $24 billion last year. The UAE invested $26.7 billion in the United States in 2018.
- The UAE joined the United States and six other countries in signing the Artemis Accords, with the goal of extending human activities to the Moon and Mars.
A DIALOGUE ON HUMAN RIGHTS
- The United States and the UAE will pursue initiatives focused on the rights of women, children, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and workers, under the aegis of a Human Rights Dialogue.
- We seek to work together to promote respect for human rights and expand joint efforts to improve the rule of law and combat trafficking in persons.
- The United States and the UAE value the protection of religious freedoms.
DETERRING REGIONAL THREATS AND COMBATING TERRORISM
- The U.S.-UAE law enforcement and border security partnership is marked by our cooperation and expanded capacity to combat criminal activity and protect borders while facilitating travel.
- We address nonproliferation and regional threats, and counter Iran’s malign activities – such as the unprovoked Iranian attack against oil tankers moored off the coast of the UAE last year.
- The UAE is a member of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and supports countering violent extremism through the Sawab and Hedayah Centers. We cooperate on combating money laundering and terrorist financing.
NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR CULTURE AND EDUCATION EXCHANGES
- The United States is committed to making Expo 2020 Dubai a success and is collaborating with Emirati and other partners to deliver top-tier programs at the U.S. Pavilion that will showcase American culture, commerce, and innovation.
- U.S.-UAE cultural and academic partnerships strengthen people-to-people connections in education, media, the arts, and parliamentary institutions.
