Abu Dhabi Crown Prince to make Obama visit

ABU DHABI // Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed will visit the US President Barack Obama at the White House later this month.

In an announcement by the White House on an official USA embassy site, it was revealed that the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, will head to Washington on April 16 to visit the American president.

The White House said in a statement the president "looked forward to discussing with the Crown Prince the strong and enduring ties between the United States and the UAE and consulting on common strategic interests in the Gulf region and broader Middle East".

They said relations between the two countries were strong, particularly in defence cooperation and economic ties. The two countries "shared commitment to advancing peace, economic opportunity, and stability throughout the world".

"The United States remains firmly committed to continuing to deepen the US-UAE partnership through close and regular consultations between our two countries," they said.

In 2009, Sheikh Mohammed met with Mr Obama in Washington during a four-day private visit where the two pledged to continue their close cooperation on security, economic and energy.