UAE’s Sheikh Tahnoon begins U.S. visit aimed at securing tech ties

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, the UAE’s National Security Adviser and one of the country’s most prominent business leaders, starts a visit to the U.S. on Monday with both political and economic dimensions.

Amid concern about tightening restrictions on access to advanced U.S. technology, Sheikh Tahnoon is setting up meetings with a series of top Trump administration officials at the White House, according to a statement from the Abu Dhabi Media Office.

“The meetings will focus on advancing economic and technology ties between the two countries,” the statement said.

“Discussions will also cover ongoing regional challenges and strengthening the decades-long U.S.-UAE strategic partnership.”

The meetings are likely to include Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Bloomberg reported. Whether he will meet with President Donald Trump is unclear.

Sheikh Tahnoon, the brother of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, serves as Chairman of Abu Dhabi’s biggest investors, including the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, ADQ and International Holding Co. He also heads the boards of G42, the government-backed artificial intelligence company, and tech investment fund MGX.

A central part of Sheikh Tahnoon’s agenda in Washington will be to press for greater access to Nvidia’s advanced semiconductor chips that are central to development of AI technology, the news agency reported.

MGX is one of the major backers – along with SoftBank, OpenAI, and Oracle – of a $100 billion AI infrastructure venture that Trump unveiled during his first week in office.

UAE President heading for Washington to meet with Biden

When UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed visits the White House next week, advisers say his focus will be on economic and technology ties, though dipping into the geopolitical conflicts wracking the Middle East is inevitable.

The Emirati leader’s meeting with President Joe Biden will be his first in Washington since assuming the UAE Presidency in May 2022. The two also met at the 2023 G20 summit in New Delhi and in Jeddah the previous year.

Dr. Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to Sheikh Mohammed, said during a briefing in Dubai that the trip, which starts Monday, will be concentrated on economic relations and how to “realign our relationship with America for the next 10 years,” The National reports.

“The main purpose of the visit, from an Emirati perspective, is investing in our future, and that’s through an economic lens and through a real realignment with what’s happening in AI and in technology,” Gargash said.