This unique designation as a Major Defence Partner, only after India, will allow for unprecedented cooperation through joint training, exercises, and military-to-military collaboration, between US, UAE and India….reports Asian Lite News
President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan spoke of the ‘power of partnerships’ during talks with US President Joe Biden at the White House.
The UAE President reaffirmed the UAE’s unwavering commitment to its US partnership and hailed the power of building bridges with nations that share the same values and ambitions for a brighter future.
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His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and President Biden discussed the depth of the strategic relationship between the UAE and the US and their joint determination to further strengthen these bonds.
One of the major developments happened during UAE President’s visit to the Washington was President Biden recognising the UAE as a Major Defence Partner of the United States, joined by only India, to further enhance defence cooperation and security in the Middle East, East Africa, and the Indian Ocean regions.
This unique designation as a Major Defence Partner will allow for unprecedented cooperation through joint training, exercises, and military-to-military collaboration, between the military forces of the United States, the UAE, and India, as well as other common military partners, in furtherance of regional stability.
Both leaders committed to close and sustained cooperation among our militaries.
The leaders reviewed ongoing initiatives and investments in advanced systems that have made the UAE one of the most capable U.S. military partners in the region, in addition to a robust schedule of bilateral and multilateral exercises.
They underscored the importance of strengthening efforts to combat regional threats, advance counterterrorism initiatives, reinforce maritime security and counter-piracy efforts, increase security cooperation, and intercept illicit shipments of weaponry and technology.
The leaders discussed deepening investment in U.S. defense systems and acknowledged that military-to-military cooperation with the United Arab Emirates’ armed services helps ensure interoperability with the United States through the provision of advanced defense articles and services.
They further decided to explore potential investment in our most advanced defense systems and to maintain regular exchanges to deepen partnership in research and development.
Trade and investment
The two leaders reviewed various aspects of the longstanding bilateral ties, particularly in the fields of trade and investment, the economy, advanced technology, space, renewable energy, climate action, sustainability and food security. They expressed their keenness to expand collaboration in these areas to help advance both countries’ shared ambitions for global prosperity and stability.
To illustrate how relations between the two countries have flourished, Sheikh Mohamed recalled a 1974 meeting between the UAE’s Founding Father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and a team from NASA who gave a briefing on the Apollo programme. Fifty years later, he explained, the UAE is now partnering with NASA in the development of the Gateway mission, humanity’s first space station around the moon.
Gaza and Sudan
The UAE and US Presidents also discussed regional and international issues of mutual interest, especially developments in the Middle East and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. They addressed efforts aimed at achieving a ceasefire to ensure the unobstructed flow of sufficient humanitarian aid and to contain any escalation that threatens regional security and stability.
In this context, Sheikh Mohamed praised Biden’s initiative and the joint mediation efforts of the United States, Egypt, and Qatar to achieve a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and the release of prisoners and detainees from both the Palestinian and Israeli sides. He underscored the importance of continuing these efforts as a first step on the path towards resuming the political process to achieve a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace based on the two-state solution, ensuring security and stability for people across the region.
On the conflict in Sudan, the leaders expressed their deep concern over the tragic impact the violence has had on the Sudanese people and on neighboring countries. Both leaders expressed alarm at the millions of individuals who have been displaced by the war, the hundreds of thousands experiencing famine, and the atrocities committed by the belligerents against the civilian population.
They stressed that there can be no military solution to the conflict in Sudan and underscored their firm and unwavering position on the imperative for concrete and immediate action to achieve a lasting cessation of hostilities, the return to the political process, and transition to civilian-led governance.
Partners in Cyberspace
The leaders emphasized that safety and stability in cyberspace is critical for digital economic growth and development, and reaffirmed their commitment to an open, interoperable, secure, and reliable internet, underpinned by the multistakeholder model of internet governance.
They committed to deepen cooperation on cybersecurity and to enhance cyber collaboration to protect critical infrastructure, counter malicious cyber activity by state and non-state actors, and noted that the UAE’s significant contributions to the International Counter Ransomware Initiative reflects the strength of our cooperation.
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