U.S & UAE initiate strategic dialogue

The United States of America and The United Arab Emirates have further developed bilateral ties and solidified the strategic partnership between the two countries through the launch of a new strategic dialogue.  The launch of the inaugural U.S.-UAE Strategic Dialogue demonstrates Emirati and American resolve to advance efforts to promote regional stability and cooperation as partners in peace, said U .S Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE’ foreign Affairs Minister in a joint statement. The Strategic Dialogue will cover a number of key areas, from political coordination and defense cooperation to economic and cultural exchange, with the broad aim of advancing mutual policy interests, solving regional issues, promoting tolerance, and countering extremism. In recognition of the two countries’ security partnership, the Strategic Dialogue is meant to underline the importance of U.S.-UAE defense coordination to deter military threats through joint planning, training, exercises, and interoperability of equipment.  Deepening and expanding the defense and intelligence relationship is expected to enable the UAE to continue developing its security capabilities and the United States to continue playing an active role in regional security efforts. The Strategic Dialogue will advance cooperation in law enforcement and border security to combat criminal activity, as well as U.S.-UAE- intelligence sharing to counter extremism and strengthen multilateral partnerships that enhance international security. Moreover, the Strategic Dialogue aims to support mutual prosperity through open and increased trade and investment in critical sectors, including medicine, life sciences, energy, agriculture, food security, logistics, aviation, and artificial intelligence. On the cultural front, the dialogue is intended to broaden the enduring people-to-people connections between the UAE and United States in education, media, the arts, religious dialogue, and political institutions through our bilateral exchanges.  Important collaboration across these sectors will be further advanced and highlighted by U.S. participation next year at Expo 2020 Dubai, the Middle East’s first-ever World’s Fair. Furthermore, noting the shared objective to support the peaceful use of outer space to the benefit of humanity, the two countries plan to work to expand cooperation on civil and commercial space activity and provide opportunities for collaboration in the space sector. Finally, the United States and UAE plan to include within the Strategic Dialogue an effort to strengthen the U.S.-UAE human rights partnership by exchanging best practices and jointly working to combat human trafficking, confront religious hatred and ethnic bigotry, and protect and promote human rights on the domestic, regional, and international levels. The launch of the U.S.-UAE Strategic Dialogue comes in the wake of the historic Abraham Accords that was achieved with U.S. support, and as the friendship between the United States and the United Arab Emirates has never been stronger.  We share common values and hopes for the future, and our partnership is flourishing in commerce, investment, and defense.  Through the Strategic Dialogue, we plan to engage in an open, robust, and deep discussion that sustains and improves our cooperation and deepens our bilateral relationship said the joint statement. Picture courtesy: U.S. Embassy & Consulate in UAE