UAE and US to work together to combat extremism and boost regional stability after forging strategic partnership

Two nations release joint statement after agreeing to US-UAE Strategic Dialogue this week

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr Anwar Gargash, and US ambassador to the UAE John Rakolta Jr signed the agreement on Tuesday. Courtesy: US Mission to the UAE

The UAE and the US have vowed closely to bolster regional security, counter extremism and promote tolerance.

The two nations agreed to a strategic dialogue this week aiming to enhance ties across key areas.

They are politics, defence, law enforcement and border security, intelligence and counter-terrorism, human rights, economics, culture and academics, and space.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr Anwar Gargash, and US ambassador to the UAE John Rakolta signed the agreement on Tuesday.

The US and the Emirates have worked together on the Abraham Accord, an agreement normalising relations between the UAE and Israel.

The historic agreement was signed at a White House ceremony last month attended by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation.

The US-UAE Strategic Dialogue will seek to further strengthen growing links.

''The launch of the inaugural US-UAE Strategic Dialogue demonstrates Emirati and American resolve to advance efforts to promote regional stability and co-operation as partners in peace," a joint statement read.

''The Strategic Dialogue will cover a number of key areas, from political co-ordination and defence co-operation to economic and cultural exchange, with the broad aim of advancing mutual policy interests, solving regional issues, promoting tolerance and countering extremism."

The partnership will aim to boost trade and investment in key sectors and forge cultural connections, with US participation in Expo 2020 Dubai integral to the relationsip.

'''On the cultural front, the dialogue is intended to broaden the enduring people-to-people connections between the UAE and US in education, media, the arts, religious dialogue and political institutions through our bilateral exchanges," the statement said.

"Important collaboration across these sectors will be further advanced and highlighted by US participation next year at Expo 2020 Dubai, the Middle East’s first-ever world’s fair.

The countries will also deepen ties in the space sector.

This month, the UAE Space Agency signed an agreement to be part of the Artemis Accords, an international treaty by US space agency Nasa that outlines responsible and peaceful space exploration.

''Noting the shared objective to support the peaceful use of outer space to the benefit of humanity, the two countries plan to work to expand co-operation on civil and commercial space activity and provide opportunities for collaboration in the space sector," the statement read.

"The US and UAE plan to include within the Strategic Dialogue an effort to strengthen the US-UAE human rights partnership by exchanging best practices and jointly working to combat human trafficking, confront religious hatred and ethnic bigotry, and protect and promote human rights on the domestic, regional, and international levels.''