10 Facts to prove the staunch friendship of UAE and the US!

When the UAE was formed in 1971 under Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the United States was the third country to establish diplomatic relations. Embassies were opened and American businesses such as Hilton quickly began operations in the UAE.

Abu Dhabi permitted foreign investment in its oil industry, including participation by US companies. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter’s Carter Doctrine emphasized the strategic importance of the Persian Gulf to US interests.

During the Tanker War phase of the Iran–Iraq conflict (1980–1988), the UAE supported the presence of US naval forces in the Gulf to ensure freedom of navigation and maritime security.

Following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990, the UAE provided financial and logistical support to the US-led Operation Desert Storm. US forces continue to utilize Al Dhafra Air Base for strategic missions.

The United States became the largest supplier of military equipment and defense technology to the UAE. In 2010, US defense firms conducted trade missions to strengthen defense sector cooperation.

In 1994, the US and UAE signed a defense agreement allowing American troops to operate within the UAE. Jebel Ali Port became a key harbor capable of accommodating US aircraft carriers.

The UAE joined the World Trade Organization in 1995, and in 2004 signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement with the US, strengthening bilateral commercial relations.

The UAE supported NATO’s Kosovo Force and later cooperated with the US in Iraq. In 2005, joint military initiatives and a Free Trade Agreement advanced ties, alongside the establishment of the Joint Terrorist Financing Coordinating Committee.

Cities such as Abu Dhabi and Houston, and Dubai and Detroit, formed sister-city partnerships. The UAE secured major US-approved defense technology deals and signed agreements for civilian nuclear energy development.

In 2011, the US and UAE announced that Abu Dhabi would host the Global Centre for Excellence in Countering Violent Extremism, reflecting deep cooperation in security, education, and counter-extremism initiatives.