By Al-Fassel | 2024-10-02

The United States and United Arab Emirates (UAE) discussed ways to deepen their strategic partnership during a historic September 23 meeting -- the first in Washington by a president of the Gulf state.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and US President Joe Biden met for talks on conflicts in the Middle East and Sudan, ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The two leaders also sought to highlight economic and technological cooperation.

Biden hailed relations with the UAE, describing it as a "nation of trailblazers, always looking to the future, always making big bets."

The US President also recognized the UAE as a major defense partner of the United States, the second such designation ever, after India. This will allow for close military cooperation through joint training, exercises and other collaborative efforts.

The UAE said it aimed to highlight economic and technological cooperation, particularly on artificial intelligence (AI), as it seeks to pivot its economy from oil.

Presidential advisor Anwar Gargash said the Emiratis were thinking "economy first" in their "strategic relationship" with the United States.

'Most important strategic relationship'

Ahead of the meeting, Gargash said the president's visit would focus on deepening business and technological ties.

He said the UAE's ties with the United States were "our most important strategic relationship," even as "sometimes people like to talk about some tensions in the relationship".

In May, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) made its first investment in the United States by acquiring a stake in NextDecade's Rio Grande liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Texas.

In April, Microsoft announced a $1.5 billion investment in UAE AI firm G42, as Abu Dhabi simultaneously shifted away from Chinese partnerships in AI.

"Why are we betting on technology? If we believe that hydrocarbon is on the way out, slowly but surely, then we have to replace the revenue stream through something else," Gargash said.

"A lot of things are in the pipeline. We're laying a map... and we need to partner with you (US) in order for us to achieve these things."