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Sean Murphy, U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires, sheds light on the history of partnership between the US and UAE

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Published: Tue 6 Jul 2021, 1:41 PM

In this 245th year of US independence, it is an opportunity to reflect on the partnerships that the United States has built over many years. As the US Chargé d’Affaires to the UAE, I am particularly focused on the strength of the 50-year friendship between our two great nations, which has grown stronger in the last year.

One of the most dynamic areas of the US-UAE partnership is our rapidly growing trade, commercial, and economic relationship. The UAE remained the top export destination for US companies last year in the Middle East Africa Region with nearly $15 billion in US exports to the UAE, and the UAE led as the largest investor in the US from the Arab world. The start of a new US-UAE strategic dialogue and the signing of the Abraham Accords were historic accomplishments that strengthened our bilateral and multi-lateral ties, as did the recent election of the UAE to the United Nations Security Council. We are also proud to count the UAE as a global space member with the launch of the Hope Probe to Mars.


I am especially pleased to see the UAE’s leadership strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights. As the UAE moves from a natural resource-based economy to a knowledge-based economy, continued UAE leadership on trade secrets, digital policy, and foreign ownership will be critical to the UAE’s success as a digital innovation hub. In this digitised world, we must partner together to ensure that cross-border data flows move freely so that both the UAE and the US small- and medium-sized companies can do business in the global marketplace and access the global internet economy. In a future of autonomous vehicles and the internet of everything, we need trusted 5G and 6G infrastructure that is powered by open radio access networks (Open RAN) and a diverse supply chain of trustworthy telecommunications equipment and services.

American companies are allies in this process to create opportunities for foreign companies to invest and expand in the UAE as their springboard to the region. As the UAE develops forward-looking policies, a multi-stakeholder process and input from US companies are critical to facilitate best practice sharing and our journey towards a better future. It is no surprise that over 1,500 US companies have established a presence here in the UAE. American companies bring excellence and innovation to the UAE’s regional business hub and trading platform in ground-breaking fields such as artificial intelligence, the digital economy, cybersecurity, fintech, biotech, hydrogen technologies, and vertical farming. Trusted American quality, reliability, and service set US companies apart from the competition.


As the post-Covid-19 world comes into focus, and the UAE opens Expo 2020 Dubai, we are doing our part to attract US businesses and state delegations to the UAE. We look forward to a Commerce Executive-led Digital Transformation Trade Mission in late October, Intellectual Property Week from February 6-10, 2022, and Trade Winds — the largest US government trade mission — from March 6-8, 2022. We are proud to partner with our UAE friends to celebrate Expo 2020 and introduce the amazing culture and opportunities of the UAE to US companies, while sharing the best of America at the USA Pavilion at Expo 2020. While you are visiting the expo, we hope you can visit the USA Pavilion.

God bless America, and God bless the UAE. Happy Independence Day to all American citizens in the UAE.

Happy 4th of July!


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