emirates7 - Marking nearly 50 years of strong and dynamic diplomatic ties, President Donald Trump's visit to the United Arab Emirates represents a significant milestone in the strategic alliance between the two nations.
This high-profile visit aims to enhance bilateral collaboration across key sectors, reflecting the shared ambitions of the US and UAE for growth and mutual prosperity. The occasion is particularly notable given the UAE's status as the United States' leading trade partner in the Middle East and North Africa, as highlighted by the UAE Ministry of Economy.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt referred to the visit as a “historic return to the Middle East.” Analysts interpret Trump’s decision to prioritize the Gulf as a reaffirmation of the region’s crucial geopolitical and economic importance.
Formal diplomatic relations between the UAE and US were initiated shortly after the UAE’s founding in 1971. The UAE established its embassy in Washington in 1974, followed by the opening of the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi the same year.
Today, cooperation between the two countries extends across a broad range of sectors, including politics, security, defense, economy, trade, and the Abraham Accords. The partnership has expanded into cutting-edge areas such as AI, food security, clean energy, space research, and broader scientific, educational, and cultural initiatives.
Economic Ties
The economic relationship between the UAE and the US remains strong and diversified. In 2024, bilateral non-oil trade reached $32.8 billion, according to the UAE Ministry of Economy. The US ranked as the UAE’s sixth largest global trading partner and was its top partner outside of Asia, making up 4% of the UAE’s non-oil trade.
The UAE is also a significant investor in the US, with investments estimated at $1 trillion across sectors such as aviation, manufacturing, energy, advanced tech, and artificial intelligence.
Artificial Intelligence Cooperation
The two nations have made significant strides in AI collaboration, guided by a shared commitment to innovation and the development of robust digital infrastructure.
In 2024, a series of major agreements were signed. In April, Microsoft announced a $1.5 billion strategic investment in G42, the UAE’s leading AI firm. In June, US-based World Wide Technology and NXT-Global partnered to establish the region’s first AI integration centre in Masdar City.
In September, the two governments unveiled a framework to guide AI cooperation. By February, G42 and Microsoft had launched the “Responsible AI Foundation,” the first initiative of its kind in the Middle East, aimed at promoting ethical AI practices in the region and the Global South.
In March, major players including BlackRock, Microsoft, Global Infrastructure Partners, and UAE-based MGX joined forces in what is now called the “AI Infrastructure Partnership” (AIP). This collaboration, which now includes NVIDIA and xAI, seeks to raise $30 billion in equity and unlock up to $100 billion in total investments through debt financing.
Further strengthening economic ties, UAE investment firm ADQ and the US-based Energy Capital Partners formed a 50/50 joint venture to invest $25 billion in power generation initiatives across the United States.
Space Collaboration
The 2021 launch of the UAE’s Hope Probe marked a turning point in Emirati-American space cooperation, especially through a joint asteroid mission with the University of Colorado Boulder.
The UAE is also contributing significantly to NASA’s Lunar Gateway program by developing an airlock module critical to crew safety and mission operations. The UAE plans to send its first astronaut to lunar orbit, with the module’s launch targeted for 2030.
This high-profile visit aims to enhance bilateral collaboration across key sectors, reflecting the shared ambitions of the US and UAE for growth and mutual prosperity. The occasion is particularly notable given the UAE's status as the United States' leading trade partner in the Middle East and North Africa, as highlighted by the UAE Ministry of Economy.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt referred to the visit as a “historic return to the Middle East.” Analysts interpret Trump’s decision to prioritize the Gulf as a reaffirmation of the region’s crucial geopolitical and economic importance.
Formal diplomatic relations between the UAE and US were initiated shortly after the UAE’s founding in 1971. The UAE established its embassy in Washington in 1974, followed by the opening of the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi the same year.
Today, cooperation between the two countries extends across a broad range of sectors, including politics, security, defense, economy, trade, and the Abraham Accords. The partnership has expanded into cutting-edge areas such as AI, food security, clean energy, space research, and broader scientific, educational, and cultural initiatives.
Economic Ties
The economic relationship between the UAE and the US remains strong and diversified. In 2024, bilateral non-oil trade reached $32.8 billion, according to the UAE Ministry of Economy. The US ranked as the UAE’s sixth largest global trading partner and was its top partner outside of Asia, making up 4% of the UAE’s non-oil trade.
The UAE is also a significant investor in the US, with investments estimated at $1 trillion across sectors such as aviation, manufacturing, energy, advanced tech, and artificial intelligence.
Artificial Intelligence Cooperation
The two nations have made significant strides in AI collaboration, guided by a shared commitment to innovation and the development of robust digital infrastructure.
In 2024, a series of major agreements were signed. In April, Microsoft announced a $1.5 billion strategic investment in G42, the UAE’s leading AI firm. In June, US-based World Wide Technology and NXT-Global partnered to establish the region’s first AI integration centre in Masdar City.
In September, the two governments unveiled a framework to guide AI cooperation. By February, G42 and Microsoft had launched the “Responsible AI Foundation,” the first initiative of its kind in the Middle East, aimed at promoting ethical AI practices in the region and the Global South.
In March, major players including BlackRock, Microsoft, Global Infrastructure Partners, and UAE-based MGX joined forces in what is now called the “AI Infrastructure Partnership” (AIP). This collaboration, which now includes NVIDIA and xAI, seeks to raise $30 billion in equity and unlock up to $100 billion in total investments through debt financing.
Further strengthening economic ties, UAE investment firm ADQ and the US-based Energy Capital Partners formed a 50/50 joint venture to invest $25 billion in power generation initiatives across the United States.
Space Collaboration
The 2021 launch of the UAE’s Hope Probe marked a turning point in Emirati-American space cooperation, especially through a joint asteroid mission with the University of Colorado Boulder.
The UAE is also contributing significantly to NASA’s Lunar Gateway program by developing an airlock module critical to crew safety and mission operations. The UAE plans to send its first astronaut to lunar orbit, with the module’s launch targeted for 2030.