US President's visit highlights robust UAE-US economic ties

US President Donald Trump's visit to the UAE underscores the shared commitment to build on long-term economic relations and explore new opportunities for collaboration.

Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, echoed these sentiments, noting that the visit embodies the vision of the UAE's leadership to strengthen partnership bridges and promote economic openness.

"The UAE and the United States share historical and strategic relations built on friendship and mutual understanding," he said. "This visit reinforces the UAE's position as an influential global economic hub, and supports the achievement of sustainable economic and social development."

The economic ties between the two nations are demonstrably strong. As Al Marri pointed out, the total number of American companies operating in the UAE markets has reached nearly 13,000, with over 66,000 US trademarks present in the country by the end of 2024. Simultaneously, more than 115 Emirati companies operate in the US across diverse sectors, including healthcare, e-commerce, tourism, aviation, hospitality, technology, and artificial intelligence.

Highlighting the trade aspect, Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, noted the importance of the United States as a key trade partner, highlighting the ongoing efforts to elevate the partnership to new heights of growth and prosperity.

"The United States is a close partner and friend to the United Arab Emirates, and we look forward to further strengthening our bilateral trade relations and ensuring that our shared path of prosperity continues by promoting the smooth flow of goods, services, and capital necessary to stimulate shared economic growth," he stated.

Al Zeyoudi further emphasised the significant trade volume between the two countries, noting that the US remains the UAE’s largest trading partner outside Asia and its sixth-largest globally, accounting for 4 percent of the UAE's total non-oil trade, which reached $32.8 billion in 2024.

This robust trade relationship is expected to grow further as both nations actively seek to stimulate intra-regional trade and investment in sectors of mutual interest, such as clean energy, sustainable industrial development, and advanced technology.

The strong tourism ties also play a crucial role in this partnership. Minister Al Marri highlighted that UAE hotel establishments welcomed approximately 980,200 American guests in 2024, marking a 5.4 per cent increase compared to the previous year. The 112 weekly flights between the two countries further underscore the growing tourism activities and connections.

For his part, Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, emphasised the UAE’s role as a reliable energy partner and highlighted its position as one of the largest investors in the US renewable energy sector. This, he said, stands as a model of successful cross-border economic collaboration.

The minister noted that President Trump’s visit follows recent talks held during the visit of the US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright to the UAE, where both sides explored avenues to enhance cooperation in energy, AI, and efficiency, as well as new investment opportunities. These discussions reflect the countries' shared commitment to energy transition, sustainability, and innovation.

Al Mazrouei added that the UAE is eager to deepen cooperation with American partners in sustainable infrastructure, smart mobility, and logistics -areas that strengthen the nation’s position as a global hub for innovation and future-ready energy solutions.

The ministers expressed optimism about the future of the UAE-US economic partnership, emphasising the commitment to providing more opportunities and enablers for the business communities in both nations.