Martina Strong sworn in as US ambassador to the UAE

Diplomat has said she will work to expand Washington's partnership with UAE on climate change and other issues

Martina Strong is sworn in as Washington's ambassador to the UAE. Photo: Twitter / @UnderSecStateP

US diplomat Martina Strong has been sworn in as Washington's ambassador to the UAE, nearly one year after President Joe Biden nominated her to the position.

Ms Strong took the oath of office in Washington in the presence of acting deputy secretary of state Victoria Nuland and assistant secretary for Near Eastern affairs Barbara Leaf, the US embassy in the UAE said on Friday. Emirati diplomats, colleagues and Ms Strong's family also attended the ceremony.

“Our strong co-operation reflects the close alignment of our countries’ core priorities that underpin our shared security and prosperity,” she said in a statement shared by the US embassy.

The State Department congratulated Ms Strong on her appointment and called the UAE a “crucial economic, diplomatic and security partner in the Middle East”.

Ms Strong was confirmed by the Senate last month, filling a position that was vacant since John Rakolta Jr departed in January 2021.

During a Senate hearing in March, Ms Strong said she would work to expand US partnership with the UAE on climate change and other issues, pointing to Cop28 as an opportunity to deepen collaboration between the two nations.

“Our partnership with the UAE is built on a strong foundation of decades-long close co-operation and our mutual interest in securing a free, rules-based and prosperous world today and for decades to come,” she said at the time.

She also noted that she would prioritise regional stability in the Middle East, saying US ties with the UAE have been key in countering Iran's “malign activities in the region”.

Ms Strong has previously served as the chargé d’affaires at the US embassy in Saudi Arabia and also held diplomatic positions in Iraq, Bulgaria and Poland.