Newsletter: April 2020

A Note from the President:

Dear colleagues,

On behalf of the entire U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council team and our leadership on the Board of Directors, I

hope that you and your loved ones are safe and healthy in these most difficult and extraordinary of times.

Our most sincere thanks go out to all those health care workers, first responders, and employees in other

critical industries who have battled to respond to the current crisis. As well, we extend our best wishes to

those who have personally been impacted by the global coronavirus pandemic.

In keeping with our shared responsibility to help mitigate the outbreak, the Business Council has adopted

the best practices and recommendations of relevant authorities regarding social distancing. As such, we

have postponed all scheduled events and enacted a work-from-home policy.

That said, the Business Council remains active and dedicated to providing value to its members.

The Business Council has been involved in coordinating various U.S. and U.A.E. government citizen

repatriation efforts and continues to provide regular updates on health and travel alerts. This information

can be found on our website here.

We are also working closely with U.S. and U.A.E. government authorities to highlight various aspects and

opportunities of the economic stimulus packages being developed and enacted in both countries.

Updates on the U.S. and U.A.E. stimulus packages can be found on our website here.

In addition, we have been working with the team at Expo 2020 and the U.S. Pavilion and will provide

updates regarding delays. Our Expo 2020 updates can be found here.

Currently, the Business Council is organizing a series of important teleconferences featuring U.S. and

U.A.E. officials. These calls are designed to provide members with important updates on the current

situation and create a platform for recommendations and suggestions on meeting challenges in specific

verticals.

As always, the Council also remains committed to working with its members on an individual basis to

make connections, share market intelligence, and help unlock business opportunities. Please let us know

should you wish to schedule a phone call to discuss how we can best serve you in this regard.

In the coming months, the Council plans to release updates to some of its most important informational

products, such as its guide to doing business in the U.A.E.; update its website to reflect emerging sectors

in the bilateral relationship; and introduce a series of new sectoral studies. Of course, the Council also

remains committed to keeping its members updated with the latest news on a myriad of topics

through our daily media digests and periodic special updates.

As we all look forward to a time when business resumes as normal, we would like to take a moment to

review some highlights from the year to date as a way of demonstrating what can be done in a couple of

short months and to provide a preview of future programming.

In January, the Business Council kicked off the new year with a luncheon held in Washington, D.C. that

allowed member companies to engage with the Under Secretary for Services at the U.S. Department of

Commerce, James Sullivan, and his team, on issues of data privacy and localization ahead of his trip to

the Middle East.

Later in the month, the Business Council celebrated the longstanding U.S.-U.A.E. partnership in peaceful

nuclear energy by joining with the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) to host a visiting delegation from

Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC). At a luncheon held January 16th, private and public sector

officials commemorated the 10th anniversary of the landmark 2009 U.S.-U.A.E. Agreement for Peaceful

Nuclear Cooperation with ENEC's CEO, Mohamed Al Hammadi.

As part of its commitment to promoting dialogue between U.A.E. Consulate Generals and businesses in

major U.S. cities, on January 15th, the Business Council hosted a roundtable luncheon at the New York

City offices of The Carlyle Group in honor of U.A.E. Consul General in New York Abdalla Shaheen. In similar

fashion, the Business Council hosted a luncheon for the Los Angeles business community on January

23rd in honor of His Excellency Hazzaa Alkaabi, Consul General of the U.A.E. in Los Angeles.

Soon after, the Business Council participated in Consul General Shaheen's visit to the Capital Region of

New York, which built on the success of last October's week-long delegation to the U.A.E. The Business

Council also accompanied Consul General Shaheen to the Port of Wilmington in Delaware, another U.S.

city that has benefited from strong U.S.-U.A.E. commercial ties via hundreds of millions of dollars of

investment by Gulftainer.

January also marked the 45th edition of Arab Health, a key event for U.S. and U.A.E. healthcare providers.

This year, the Business Council hosted a series of three roundtable discussions on the sidelines of the

Dubai conference to highlight developments in the Abu Dhabi healthcare ecosystem and provide

executives from leading U.S. healthcare companies with an overview of new opportunities for partnership.

The distinguished panels featured leadership from Zayed Military Hospital, Mubadala Healthcare, Malaffi,

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, and Department of Health-Abu Dhabi.

To round out a busy month, the Business Council hosted a luncheon in Abu Dhabi in honor of His

Excellency Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, U.A.E. Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During this

luncheon, His Excellency discussed national and Emirate-level economic development strategies and

diversification with corporate representatives from U.S. members of the Council's Board of Directors.

In February, the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council turned to the agriculture and food industry to lead ten

innovative U.S. companies on a five-day Department of Commerce-certified food security trade mission to

Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The mission, held in partnership with the U.A.E. Embassy’s Trade and Commercial

Office in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi, the U.S. Consulate General in Dubai, and the

Office of the U.A.E. Minister of State for Food Security, provided delegates with a better understanding of

the U.A.E.'s food security goals. The mission also created a platform for discussion of U.S.-U.A.E.

collaboration in providing the world with a consistent supply of nutritious food produced through

sustainable means.

Also, in February, the Council hosted Ambassador John Rakolta Jr., U.S. Ambassador to the U.A.E., for a

luncheon in Washington, D.C. U.S. and U.A.E. member companies, as well as select think tank leaders,

discussed key developments in the U.S.-U.A.E. bilateral relationship with the Ambassador.

Beyond these events and trade mission, the Business Council continues to facilitate U.S. participation at

Expo 2020 Dubai. Early last month, the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council worked with AmCham Dubai and

AmCham Abu Dhabi to support the U.S. State Department's Abu Dhabi and Dubai events unrolling plans

and partners for the U.S. Pavilion at Expo 2020. The Council looks forward to continued work with

members and partners to prepare for the global showcase.

As the Council has worked hard to provide value to its existing members through the above activities, we

have also been pleased to welcome several new members into the Business Council family. AirMed,

American Express, BAE Systems, Boloro, Ford, HerdX, Marriott International, Microsoft, and Paramount

Group have all joined the Council as an expression of their commitment to the bilateral relationship.

In the coming months, the Business Council looks forward to strengthening the U.S.-U.A.E. bilateral trade

and investment relationship through a variety of meaningful engagement opportunities.

The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council and the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors would like to

express our continued gratitude to all of our member companies for your support, without which none of

our efforts and programming would be possible. Moreover, we would like to encourage you to provide

feedback about how we can continue to provide value to you and your company.

With gratitude,

Danny

Danny E. Sebright

President

Recent Events

State Department Reveals Plans-Partners for

U.S. Pavilion at Expo 2020

Abu Dhabi and Dubai: March 9, 2020

The U.S. Department of State partnered with

AmCham Dubai, AmCham Abu Dhabi, and the

U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council to reveal to

American companies plans for content and

opportunities for partnership at the U.S. Pavilion

at Expo 2020.

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U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council Hosts Luncheon in

Washington, D.C. with U.S. Ambassador to the

U.A.E. John Rakolta

Washington, D.C.: February 24, 2020

The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted a

luncheon on February 24th in Washington, D.C.

with U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab

Emirates John Rakolta, Jr. at the offices of Akin

Gump, a leading global American law firm and

member of the Business Council.

U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council Brings Innovative

American Agtech to U.A.E.

Abu Dhabi and Dubai: 16-20 February, 2020

The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council, in partnership

with the U.A.E. Embassy in Washington D.C. and

U.A.E. Minister of State for Food Security led ten

innovative U.S. companies on a successful five-

day U.S.-Department of Commerce-certified food

security trade mission to Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

U.A.E. Consul General Visits Port of Wilmington

in Delaware

Wilmington: February 5, 2020

The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council joined the

Consul General of the United Arab Emirates in

New York, His Excellency Abdalla Shaheen, in a

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visit to Delaware this week on Monday 3 February

to further strengthen bilateral ties with political

and business leaders in a state that has been

transformed by hundreds of millions of dollars in

U.A.E. investment at the Port of Wilmington.

U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council Hosts Luncheon In

Honor Of His Excellency Ahmed Al Sayegh

Abu Dhabi: January 30, 2020

The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted a

luncheon on January 30th in Abu Dhabi with

corporate representatives from its U.S. Board of

Directors in honor of His Excellency Ahmed Ali Al

Sayegh, U.A.E. Minister of State at the Ministry of

Foreign Affairs.

U.A.E. Consul General Receives Warm Welcome

from New York General Assembly Leadership

Albany: January 30, 2019

The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council joined the

Consul General of the United Arab Emirates in

New York, His Excellency Consul General Abdalla

Shaheen, in a visit to upstate New York this week

to further strengthen ties with political and

business leaders in the New York State Capital

Region.

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U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council Hosts a Series of

Events at Arab Health 2020 in Dubai

Dubai: January 28, 2020

The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted a series

of three roundtable discussions on Tuesday

January 28th 2020 in Dubai with His Excellency

Mohamed Al Hameli and other senior Emirati

officials from the Department of Health – Abu

Dhabi, Mubadala Healthcare, Malaffi, Cleveland

Clinic Abu Dhabi and Zayed Military Hospital.

U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council Hosts Luncheon in

Los Angeles in Honor of U.A.E. Consul General

Hazza Alkaabi

Los Angeles: January 24, 2020

The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted a

business roundtable luncheon discussion on

January 23rd 2020 in honor of U.A.E. Consul

General in Los Angeles His Excellency Hazza

Alkaabi at the Viceroy L’Ermitage Beverly Hills.

U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council and Nuclear

Energy Institute Host Industry Luncheon in

Washington, D.C.

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Washington, D.C.: January 16, 2020

The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council and Nuclear

Energy Institute hosted a luncheon on Thursday

January 16th in Washington, D.C. in honor of a

visiting delegation from Emirates Nuclear Energy

Corporation led by its CEO, Mohamed Al

Hammadi.

U.S-U.A.E. Business Council Hosts Luncheon in

New York City in Honor of U.A.E. Consul General

Abdalla Shaheen

New York: January 15, 2020

The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted a

business roundtable luncheon on January 15th

2020 in honor of U.A.E. Consul General in New

York, His Excellency Abdalla Shaheen at the New

York offices of The Carlyle Group, a leading global

investment firm.

Senior U.S. Department of Commerce Official

Engages U.S. Industry about Data Privacy and

Localization in the U.A.E. and Egypt

Washington D.C.: January 9, 2020

The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council, with support

from the AmCham Abu Dhabi, AmCham Dubai,

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and U.S.-Egypt Business Council, hosted a

roundtable luncheon discussion today in

Washington, D.C. with the U.S. Department of

Commerce’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for

Services James M. Sullivan and his team.

The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council provides its diverse membership unparalleled access tosenior decision makers in business and government in the U.A.E. and in the U.S. TheBusiness Council actively works to ensure that the U.S. and U.A.E. remain attractivedestinations for foreign direct investment by conducting effective policy advocacy,undertaking various trade promotion initiatives, providing ongoing updates on thebusiness climate in both countries, and helping develop strategic relationships betweenU.S. and U.A.E. business and government officials.

New Members

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