In 1974, a US delegation of Nasa astronauts and scientists visited Abu Dhabi to brief the UAE’s founder and first President, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, on the Apollo missions to the Moon. Few could have imagined then that the UAE would become a key partner in the Nasa-led Artemis missions that will return humanity to the Moon by providing a vital contribution to the Gateway programme, which will establish the first lunar orbital station.
When UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visits Washington next week for a White House meeting with President Joe Biden, they will highlight a half-century trajectory of UAE-US partnerships that have delivered prosperity, security and scientific progress in both our countries.
When it comes to advanced technologies and artificial intelligence, few countries are working as closely and moving as quickly together as the United States and the UAE. The US Silicon Valley and the UAE “Silicon Oasis” are driving AI research and innovation towards the frontier. And they are doing so in partnerships that span labs, boardrooms and advanced production facilities. The drive along Sheikh Zayed Road from Abu Dhabi to Dubai feels very familiar to any American tech executive, with Google, Meta, IBM and Microsoft signs lighting the way.
This week, Abu Dhabi’s technology investment firm MGX joined with Microsoft, US investment firm BlackRock, and others to launch a new technology infrastructure investment platform. Over the past year, Silicon Valley’s Cerebras teamed up with the UAE’s G42 to deploy several of the world’s fastest supercomputers for AI training in California and Texas. Mubadala’s transformational investment in New York-based GlobalFoundries is helping to expand US semiconductor manufacturing and adding thousands of jobs to the region’s innovation economy. G42 is also partnering with Microsoft’s Azure on a new cloud computing platform in the UAE and working with other US tech leaders like Nvidia, AMD, VAST and Qualcomm to scale up advanced technology infrastructure in the UAE.
Our countries recognise the benefits of technology and scientific co-operation and are committed to expanding our work on new initiatives, including enhanced standards for protecting data and sensitive technologies, greater collaboration in research and education, as well as programmes to help narrow the digital divide by providing more accessible core technologies to all, while ensuring the highest standards of security and privacy.
Like the UAE-US Agreement for Nuclear Co-operation, these collaborative efforts could become the new “gold standard” for securing and propelling the next generation of technologies. The 2009 landmark “123 Agreement” enabled the UAE’s development of civilian nuclear energy, which now delivers low-emission electricity to UAE data centres.
The visit also builds on the historic Cop28 Climate Conference hosted by the UAE last December, a pivotal moment for US-UAE co-operation on addressing the climate crisis and accelerating the energy transition.
Advanced technology and climate action are creating new business opportunities that have drawn US companies, entrepreneurs and investors to the UAE. The UAE’s position as a global crossroads for business, media, and culture has also made it a gateway to fast-growing markets across the Middle East, Africa, India and Asia. More than 1,500 American companies and institutions operate in the UAE, contributing to its growth, economic diversification and job creation. Over 50,000 Americans now call the UAE home.
The benefits of five decades of bilateral trade and engagement have naturally flowed in both directions. The UAE has invested more than $1 trillion across all sectors of the American economy. And the UAE is the biggest destination for US exports in the Middle East. Bilateral trade exceeded $31 billion in 2023 alone.
The United States and the UAE share enduring security ties and a commitment to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Middle East region. In close partnership, we are working to advance multilateral diplomatic solutions and provide urgently needed humanitarian assistance in Gaza and Sudan. Our ongoing defence and counter-terrorism co-operation makes our countries and the world more secure. US and UAE troops have stood shoulder to shoulder in six conflicts over the past 30 years; their valour and devotion to duty have forged the strongest of bonds between our countries.
By continuing to partner together, exploring new opportunities and addressing shared challenges head-on, we are keeping our eyes firmly fixed on a better vision for the region and for the next 50 years of our co-operation.
Much like the Apollo mission inspired generations of scientists and engineers, the UAE and the United States are meeting the future together on the Gateway mission and in so many other ways. Recognising then the Moon landing’s significance and seeing its promise for the region and the world, Sheikh Zayed said: “If it is God’s will, man can achieve anything; nothing is impossible.”
Yousef Al Otaiba is the UAE ambassador to the US. Martina Strong is the US ambassador to the UAE
