UAE-US RELATIONS: Overview
The UAE shares strategic interests with the United States. Among them:
- Enhancing stability and security in the Arabian Gulf and the broader Middle East
- Ensuring reliable energy supplies to world markets
- Encouraging global free trade and investment
- Confronting terrorism and extremism in the region and the world.
An Expanding Relationship
Relations between the countries continue to grow, especially in economic, social and cultural sectors.
- The UAE is the United States’ largest export market in the Middle East, generating nearly $12 billion in 2006.
- US companies have played major roles in the development of UAE energy resources, which represent about 10 percent of global oil reserves.
- 750 firms have a presence in the UAE.
- UAE investment has been a dependable and long-term engine of growth for the US. For 30 years, the UAE has generated most oil revenues from sales to Asia, then invested most profits in the US economy.
- US institutions, including Harvard University, the Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins Medicine and the Guggenheim Museum, are deeply involved in enhancing health, educational and cultural resources in the UAE.
- The UAE provided $100 million to the United States in the days following Hurricane Katrina.
Joint Diplomacy to Address Difficult Challenges
The UAE works constructively with a range of international entities to find peaceful solutions in the region.
- Alone and in concert with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the UAE has called for a nuclear weapons-free Gulf and has appealed directly to Iran on this issue.
- With the GCC, the UAE supports a peaceful, two-state resolution in Palestine.
- The UAE welcomes the commitment by the United States to ensure the territorial integrity of Iraq, and to deliver a successful, fair and inclusive political process that engages all Iraqi communities and guarantees the stability of the country.
Confronting Terrorism and Extremism
The UAE fights terrorism and extremism in the region and beyond. Cooperation with the United States includes a range of defense and intelligence initiatives.
- More US naval vessels—over 600 in 2006—visit UAE ports than any other port outside the US. The UAE hosts 2,000 US military personnel.
- The UAE contributes forces or assistance to US and international security initiatives, including Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, Operation Iraqi Freedom, the 1990 Gulf War and UN Operations in Somalia and Kosovo.
- The UAE is enforcing aggressive anti-money-laundering initiatives, counter-terrorist financing laws and regulations, and new export control laws.
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