During their meeting today at the White House, President Obama and the UAE’s Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed a range of regional and bilateral issues, and consulted on how best to deepen our cooperation in areas of shared interest. They underscored the strong partnership between our two countries, and reaffirmed their mutual commitment to close defense and security cooperation, including in counterterrorism, in particular against ISIL and Al Qaeda. The President and Crown Prince also reviewed the expanding ties between the United States and the UAE in areas ranging from trade and commerce to clean energy.
The President and the Crown Prince also discussed a range of regional challenges, including the ongoing conflicts in Yemen, Libya, Iraq and Syria; and efforts to reach a long-term, comprehensive deal between the P5+1 and Iran to ensure that Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon. The President and Crown Prince also discussed the upcoming May meetings at the White House and Camp David with Gulf Cooperation Council leaders as an important opportunity to deepen cooperation between the U.S. and GCC partners.