Colombo: Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority, recently visited Washington, D.C., where he held meetings with several high-ranking US officials, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg. These meetings aimed at reinforcing UAE-US economic and technological collaboration, particularly through the UAE-US AI Acceleration Partnership initiated during US President Donald Trump's visit to the UAE.

According to Emirates News Agency, discussions during these meetings centered on expanding and enhancing bilateral relations across various sectors. The progress made in UAE-US economic and technological partnership over the past year was reviewed, with both sides expressing a commitment to continue efforts toward strengthening this collaboration and achieving strategic objectives in sectors of shared interest.

Khaldoon Al Mubarak emphasized the robust foundation of trust and mutual growth that underpins the UAE-US economic relationship. He highlighted that commitments made a year ago are being exceeded, with the partnership delivering benefits across key sectors despite regional and macroeconomic challenges. Both nations are accelerating the development of technology and energy infrastructure to deepen their economic investments.

The UAE has pledged to invest US$1.4 trillion in the US economy over the next decade, focusing on strategic sectors such as energy, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and advanced technology. The UAE-US AI Acceleration Partnership remains a focal point, with significant investments by UAE companies like MGX and G42 in the AI value chain, including semiconductors and AI infrastructure.

Additionally, the UAE and the US are expanding this technological ecosystem globally through the UAE-US AI Campus in Abu Dhabi, set to be the largest facility of its kind outside the United States. The first phase of this facility, with a capacity of 500 megawatts, is expected to be operational by the end of the year.

In the energy sector, UAE companies such as ADNOC, XRG, and Masdar have forged and expanded partnerships in power generation and energy infrastructure across the United States. In advanced manufacturing, plans by Emirates Global Aluminium to build the first new aluminium smelter in the US in nearly five decades, located in Oklahoma, underscore the expanding global footprint of UAE companies in strategic industries.

Furthermore, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Mubadala Investment Company, and L'Imad Holding are broadening their investment activities in the United States, supporting long-term economic diversification goals through strategic investments in key sectors.