The United Arab Emirates and the United States convened their 11th Economic Policy Dialogue in Abu Dhabi on 15 January 2026, co-chaired by Saeed Mubarak Al Hajeri and US Under Secretary Jacob Helberg.
The dialogue underscored the strategic importance of bilateral trade and investment, reaffirming the UAE’s position as the largest US trading partner in the Gulf and highlighting the strong trade surplus enjoyed by the United States.
Senior officials emphasised that open markets and transparent regulatory frameworks have driven mutual prosperity, while cooperation continues to deepen across critical minerals, advanced technology, energy, manufacturing, and life sciences.
Both sides reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to invest USD 1.4T in the United States over the coming decade, reinforcing the country’s role as a key long-term economic partner.
Officials highlighted sustained growth in direct trade, noting that non-oil trade surpassed USD 38B in 2024, while preliminary figures for the first half of 2025 reached USD 19.3B, reflecting a year-on-year increase that supports major US industries.
The US delegation stressed the importance of strengthening economic security and building trusted supply chains, with shared priorities identified in advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, energy resilience, and digital infrastructure.
Discussions also focused on expanding collaboration in critical minerals, recognising the UAE’s leadership in developing resilient supply chains and its participation in joint investments in third-country projects.
In line with shared efforts to enhance economic connectivity and stability, both sides explored steps to operationalise the US-led Pax Silica Declaration to support secure and reliable supply chains for emerging technologies.
