President Sheikh Mohamed made history last week by participating in the first meeting between a sitting UAE and US president on American soil since the Emirates was founded in 1971.
With the two countries seemingly closer than ever, The National takes a look at some of the highlights of the historic visit.
Before official proceedings began, Sheikh Mohamed visited the Children's National Hospital in Washington on Sunday, where he was given a tour and briefed on the hospital’s specialised departments.
The tour included a visit to the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Paediatric Surgical Innovation where Sheikh Mohamed was shown the technology and innovation used to treat its patients. One such innovation was the miniature pacemaker for infants, first shown to Sheikh Mohamed in 2019, which has since been used in more than 40 paediatric patients, five of them newborns.
Monday
Monday saw the UAE and US announce deepening ties across many sectors after Sheikh Mohamed met US President Joe Biden at the White House.
Washington recognised the UAE as a major defence partner, while Sheikh Mohamed emphasised the country’s “unwavering commitment” to positive US relations. Mr Biden, in turn, reaffirmed his commitment to UAE security and dubbed the Emirates a “a nation of trailblazers, always looking to the future, always making big bets”.
For a full guide to the agreements made during Monday’s talks, check The National’s definitive write-up here.
US Vice President Kamala Harris, who is the Democratic Party's nominee and aims to succeed Mr Biden in November's presidential elections, met Sheikh Mohamed later on Monday.
Sheikh Mohamed discussed the need for peace and stability in the Middle East with Ms Harris, stressing “the critical need for all parties to pursue a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace”.
The President also met Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain, in Washington on Monday. They discussed efforts to enhance co-operation between the two countries.
Tuesday
On Tuesday, Sheikh Mohamed met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
During the meetings, he discussed strategic relations and joint efforts to strengthen relations at various levels. Particular focus was placed on developments in the Middle East, and the importance of working to prevent any expansion of the war in Gaza.
Later the same day, the UAE President held talks with the chief executives of BlackRock, Microsoft and Nvidia to discuss modern technology and artificial intelligence. These meetings focused on technological developments and the growing collaboration between the Emirates and the US in the technology sector.
Sheikh Mohamed also met university students and Emirati astronauts Nora Al Matrooshi and Mohammed Al Mulla at the UAE embassy in Washington.
“You and UAE youth are the real wealth of the country. We always want you to excel because we bet on quality. Today, we invest in you and this is the best investment for the future,” Sheikh Mohamed said at a reception ceremony.
He said the UAE was going through a phase that required qualified Emiratis capable of taking on responsibilities, and that the country depended on them.
Wednesday
On Wednesday, Sheikh Mohamed met several US senators, sitting down with Mark Warner, chairman of the Senate select committee on intelligence, as well as Markwayne Mullin, Joni Ernst, Tom Cotton and John Thune.
He emphasised that his visit comes in the context of a shared commitment to advancing co-operation, particularly in key areas such as the economy, trade and investment, climate action, artificial intelligence, renewable energy and sustainability.
The war in Gaza was also discussed, with Sheikh Mohamed expressing his hope that the US Congress will play a meaningful role to bringing a lasting peace hinged on the two-state solution.
The President also met Gina Raimondo, US Secretary of Commerce, to discuss the development of UAE-US relations in economics, trade, investment and technology.
Later on Wednesday, he spoke to former US presidents George W Bush and Bill Clinton. He also spoke to Jimmy Carter’s grandson, Jason, and enquired about the 39th US president’s health as he continues to undergo hospice care.
During his meeting with Mr Bush, Sheikh Mohamed reflected on key milestones in their bilateral relations and recalled Mr Bush’s historic visit to the UAE in 2008.
During his phone call with Mr Clinton, he highlighted the important role he played in strengthening ties with the UAE during his time in office.
Thursday
Sheikh Mohamed held talks with former US president Donald Trump in Florida on Thursday.
In the meeting with Mr Trump, Sheikh Mohamed stressed that relations between the UAE and US have flourished for more than 50 years thanks to their partnership based on a shared vision of progress and prosperity.
Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and National Security Adviser, held talks with Tesla founder and X owner Elon Musk and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to focus on “strategies to strengthen collaborative efforts” in artificial intelligence.
Also on Thursday, the Ministry of Interior signed an agreement with the US Department of Homeland Security which will allow the UAE inclusion into the Global Entry Programme.
The programme, which screens the security background of applicants before travel, will allow Global Entry participants to immediately check in at a Global Entry kiosk at a US customs centre or when they arrive at another US port of entry.
It will therefore allow UAE citizens to avoid long queues and forms on arrival as the process will be automated. All participants in the programme must still have a valid US visa to enter the country.
President Sheikh Mohamed's official US visit – in pictures
