Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Visits Washington to Bolster UAE-US Strategic Cooperation
Washington, 23rd February, 2026 – H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, met with Massad Boulos, US President’s Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs, as part of a working visit to the US capital.
During the meeting, the two sides reviewed the strategic relations between the UAE and the United States, focusing on enhancing cooperation across various fields to support mutual interests and reinforce security and stability at both regional and international levels.
Sheikh Abdullah emphasized the “depth and diversity” of the UAE-US strategic partnership, highlighting the importance of building upon existing partnerships and deepening collaboration in priority sectors. He pointed to the vital role such cooperation plays in supporting sustainable development in both countries.
Discussions also addressed the development of the UAE-US partnership in Africa, with both sides exploring new opportunities for joint coordination to advance development and stability efforts on the continent. These efforts are seen as crucial to fulfilling the aspirations of African peoples for growth and prosperity.
In this context, Sheikh Abdullah stressed the significance of ensuring “complementarity between the development initiatives” of the two countries and called for further joint action with regional and international partners. This, he noted, is essential to advance sustainable development and promote peace and stability in Africa.
The talks also covered the tragic developments of the civil war in Sudan, underlining the immediate need for an “unconditional ceasefire” and urgent delivery of humanitarian aid to alleviate civilian suffering.
Sheikh Abdullah praised US President Donald Trump’s leadership in striving to prevent Sudan from further extremism, division, and humanitarian crisis and thanked the United States for hosting the recent humanitarian conference and Quad meeting, describing them as “key steps to maintain international engagement amidst the protracted war and its devastating humanitarian repercussions”.
He also commended Massad Boulos for his close follow-up of the Sudan file and his role in supporting endeavors aimed at achieving a ceasefire, strengthening the humanitarian response, and advancing the track toward the establishment of an independent civilian government in Sudan.
Sheikh Abdullah reaffirmed the UAE’s “steadfast commitment” to cooperation with the United States and regional and international partners in pursuit of dialogue, de-escalation, and sustainable political solutions—contributing to security and development for the region and beyond.
The meeting was attended by Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State; Saeed Mubarak Al Hajeri, Minister of State; and Yousef Manea Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to the United States.
Team V.4-EM-UAE
