UAE eyes ‘different architecture’ for a Middle East embroiled in conflict as it strengthens ties with the US

Abu Dhabi CNN —

The first-ever visit by a president of the United Arab Emirates to the White House took place this week as Israel’s war in Gaza expanded to Lebanon. That war, however, was not at the top of the agenda in talks with US officials.

US President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and UAE president Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed instead prioritized their discussions around a set of technological and economic deals between both countries centered around artificial intelligence (AI) and the infrastructure needed to develop the growing technology.

“The UAE is a nation of trailblazers that’s always looking to the future – always making big bets… In fact, it’s a cornerstone of our growing cooperation, in AI, in clean energy, in space, in investing in infrastructure to connect regions,” Biden said in the Oval Office on Monday alongside the UAE president. “Today we honor that legacy in carrying our relationship forward as the UAE will become a major defense partner with the United States.”

Sheikh Mohammed responded that the UAE has “a firm and unwavering commitment to work with the USA for the sake of deepening the strategic partnership between our two nations”

The White House said the leaders charted “an ambitious course” to lead global efforts to develop and expand advanced technologies.

Related video The UAE is aiming to be an AI superpower

The UAE, which normalized relations with Israel in 2020, is looking for a “different architecture” in the region based on “greater communication, stability and, I would say, longer term prosperity,” Anwar Gargash, the UAE president’s diplomatic adviser told CNN’s Becky Anderson in an interview.

The UAE president’s visit to the