In their meeting today at the White House, President Obama and the UAE’s Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan reaffirmed their commitment to the strong partnership and friendship between their two countries.
The Crown Prince expressed his condolences for those who were affected by yesterday’s attack in Boston.
The two leaders highlighted the expanding ties between the United States and the UAE, reflecting common strategic interests. The Crown Prince thanked President Obama for the United States’ leadership in the region, including the President’s efforts to advance peace, security, and opportunity in the Middle East.
The President and Crown Prince pledged to sustain the expanding economic ties between the United States and the UAE, noting that the UAE remains the United States’ largest export market in the Middle East and a significant investor in the United States. The President commended the UAE for hosting the successful Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Dubai last December, and both leaders highlighted the importance of fostering broad-based economic opportunity in the region, particularly for young people. They also discussed the relationships the UAE is building with leading U.S. institutions, including in education, health care, and the arts.
The President and Crown Prince also reaffirmed their shared commitment to close defense and security cooperation, including joint training exercises, counterterrorism cooperation and the deployment of interoperable U.S. defense systems. The President expressed appreciation for the UAE’s contributions to NATO missions in Afghanistan and Libya. The President and the Crown Prince also discussed a range of regional challenges, including the need for Iran to meet its international obligations with respect to its nuclear program, the ongoing conflict in Syria, and countering the threat of violent extremism.
The President and Crown Prince pledged to continue to deepen the U.S.-UAE partnership through close and regular consultations between the two countries. A photo of the meeting can be found HERE.