The impressive rosary of World Leaders visiting the United Arab Emirates following the recent death of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, has made it clear that the UAE plays an outsized role in regional and global affairs. The United States in particular has a strong interest in maintaining and strengthening ties with the new President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as an ally in diplomatic and military affairs and as a partner in current and future energy supply and innovation.
The Cipher Brief explained what this means and what comes next with it. Middle East specialist Standard Rollswho served as National Director of Intelligence for Iran at the ODNI and since his retirement has traveled extensively in the region for meetings with key regional leaders.
The encrypted summary: What are the prospects for expanding US-UAE relations, and what are the incentives and barriers to strengthening bilateral relations in the future?
Rolls: The rank and stature of the US delegation that visited the UAE after the death of UAE President Sheikh Khalifah bin Zayed was significant. The list of officials chosen to be part of this delegation tells us why the relationship is vital for Washington. The group included our most senior officials responsible for foreign policy, national security and energy issues.
The security angle is easy to understand – the UAE is a trusted and valued partner and has earned that reputation. The enemies of the United Arab Emirates are our enemies, and Abu Dhabi has deployed personnel to fight with our forces on several occasions.
Energy talks with the Gulf rightly focus on oil and gas. By the end of 2022, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia will likely be the only remaining OPEC members with spare production capacity. But the UAE’s green energy efforts are respected for their ambition and outlook, as the presence of former secretary John Kerry shows. Secretary Kerry has made several trips to the GCC, and I understand he was impressed with their investment in climate change technologies. The United States was also impressed with the Emirati commitment to interfaith and multicultural engagement and its role in developing the Abraham Accords.
The post office A path of cooperation and opportunity between the United States and the United Arab Emirates appeared first on The encrypted brief.