The Trump administration designated the United Arab Emirates as a “main protection accomplice” throughout the president’s cease final week within the rich Gulf state.
Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth and his UAE counterpart, Mohamed Mubarak Al Mazrouei, signed a joint letter of intent that would imply a lot nearer navy cooperation between Washington and Abu Dhabi.
The settlement represents a “shared dedication to develop a structured street map” that may information a long-term protection alignment between the 2 nations, in keeping with an announcement launched by the Pentagon.
“The 2 sides will discover a phased framework for advancing bilateral drive readiness, interoperability, and innovation-driven collaboration,” Defense Department officers stated.
The settlement between the U.S. and the UAE is much like one signed in 2016 with India, which was elevated to Strategic Commerce Authorization tier 1 standing. That allowed New Delhi to obtain license-free entry to a variety of navy and dual-use applied sciences regulated by the Division of Commerce.
The UAE’s Ministry of Overseas Affairs stated its new strategic partnership with Washington was constructed on “5 a long time of mutual cooperation and shared pursuits.”
“Each side recommended the depth of the U.A.E.-U.S. safety and protection partnership and reiterated their intention to additional strengthen and increase bilateral protection cooperation,” they stated in an announcement. “The assembly additionally reaffirmed the U.A.E.’s unequivocal stance in opposition to terrorism and extremism in all kinds and underscored the shared dedication to working with worldwide companions to advertise worldwide peace and safety.”
Throughout his go to to the UAE, President Trump introduced greater than $200 billion in business offers between Washington and Abu Dhabi whereas Mr. Hegseth was hammering out the main points of the navy partnership. Mr. Trump has frequently noticed that increasing entry to American firms strengthens strategic ties and advances shared pursuits within the Center East.
The U.S. and the UAE have an extended historical past of cooperation in protection and counterterrorism. Abu Dhabi performed a key function within the Abraham Accords, a collection of bilateral agreements between a number of Arab international locations and Israel that originated in his first administration.
The U.S. additionally considers the Center Jap nation an ally within the effort to curb Iranian aggression within the area.
The UAE has by no means hidden its curiosity in better navy ties with the U.S. It views a powerful partnership with Washington as essential in deterring threats from malign neighbors, particularly Iran.
The settlement between the U.S. and the UAE may even create an initiative between the U.S. Protection Innovation Unit and the UAE’s Tawazun Council. The collaboration will deepen ties in protection innovation, facilitate joint analysis and improvement, and increase industrial and funding partnerships, Defense Department officers stated.
With the brand new protection partnership, the UAE will be part of the U.S. Nationwide Guard State Partnership Program. It pairs Nationwide Guard items with accomplice nations worldwide to construct what U.S. officers known as “robust, enduring relationships” that improve mutual cooperation and international safety.
The UAE will accomplice with the Texas Nationwide Guard. They may work collectively in a wide range of missions, together with built-in air and missile protection, operational planning, and cybersecurity, officers stated.
“It builds on the longstanding file of each international locations working aspect by aspect to counter threats, stabilize battle zones, and promote safety and prosperity within the Center East and past,” the Defense Department stated.
The UAE’s authorities awarded President Trump their highest civilian honor, the Order of Zayed, in recognition of his “efforts to reinforce cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and the US.”
