As Trump lands in UAE, tech and trade to dominate agenda, not defense
The Emirati official said that the US' easing of sanctions on Syria is “the right thing to do,” but expressed concerns about stability and safety of minorities in the country.
WASHINGTON — A senior UAE official told Al-Monitor that US President Donald Trump's trip to the country on Thursday, the first for an American president since 2008, will see increased focus on the issues of technology and trade, less so on defense and weapons purchases.
"This visit is not about arms purchases. I'm sure there'll be discussion about regional issues, but that's not really our focus — not because they're not important, but because we are already talking all the time with the United States on these issues," the official said.
Instead, Abu Dhabi's major focus or 90% of it, as the official explains, will be on three key priorities: economy, investment, technology.
In March, the White House announced that the UAE had committed to a $1.4 trillion investment framework with the United States, focusing on AI infrastructure, semiconductors, energy and manufacturing. The announcement followed UAE National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan's visit to the White House days earlier.
