Key Areas of Bilateral Cooperation in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- The economy is thriving, moderate Islam is celebrated, over 200 nationalities live and work peacefully together, women hold key cabinet posts, and US engagement is welcome.
- In many ways, the bilateral relationship between the UAE and US has never been stronger since the UAE was founded in 1971.
This close alliance is built on three pillars
Security, prosperity, and a common outlook.
- Security: The US-UAE relationship has its foundation in a shared commitment to promote peace and security in the Arabian Gulf, counter extremism, and deter threats to regional stability. The men and women of our armed forces train together and are in constant coordination, resulting in highly effective alignment at the tactical and operational level. Beyond the battlefield, the UAE and US are partnering to block the flow of funds and foreign fighters to terrorist groups and counter extremist ideologies.
- Prosperity: During recent years, there has been exponential growth in bilateral trade and economic cooperation. Total bilateral trade between the UAE and US grew from approximately $5.22 billion in 2004 to $24.5 billion in 2018. The UAE is one of the largest Foreign Military Sales customers of the US, purchasing more than $20 billion in US defense hardware and services over the past decade, including one of the world’s largest non-US F-16 fleets. Combined, UAE airlines are the largest customers of Boeing aircraft. Moreover, UAE investments in the US support hundreds of thousands of American jobs, and provide liquidity to capital markets that spurs innovation and advancements across several sectors.
- Common Outlook: the UAE and US share a future-oriented outlook of tolerance, gender equality, diversity, educational advancement, free markets, and the promotion of arts and culture. Tens of thousands of Americans work in and visit the UAE every year. Thousands of young Emiratis are studying in US universities. And hundreds of health care, cultural, science, and educational partnerships and exchanges link the people of both countries.
US-UAE Bilateral Highlights
- Only Arab nation to participate with the US in six military coalition actions over the last 25 years, including the current fight against ISIS. US Naval vessels visit UAE ports more than any other foreign ports, and 4,000+ US personnel are hosted at Al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi. Largest US export market in the Middle East for ten consecutive years, with $19.5 billion in exports to the UAE in 2018. The US had a $14.5 billion trade surplus with the UAE in 2018, the US’ fourth largest globally.
- UAE investments into the US help support hundreds of thousands of good paying American jobs.
- The UAE is the largest donor of foreign aid as a percent of gross national income, and has provided support to communities in the US that are recovering from disasters or have other needs.
