Washington, DC

On April 6, 2009 the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council’s Civilian Nuclear Energy 123 Task Force met with Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Washington D.C. to discuss the Business Council’s advocacy work on behalf of the U.S.-U.A.E. civilian nuclear 123 Agreement.  The accord is expected to be notified soon to Capital Hill by President Obama’s Administration.

Representatives from U.S. companies in the energy, design and construction, consulting, legal, civilian aviation, and defense sectors who have been actively supporting the effort told Sheik Abdullah they have carried the message of new U.S. job creation in their many meetings with members and staff on the Hill and with the Obama Administration.

Sheikh Abdullah reassured key member companies represented at the meeting that U.S. companies will have a very fair chance at competing for the $20B-plus worth of business at stake should the deal proceed successfully through Congress.

Sheikh Abdullah also told the Business Council group of the U.A.E.’s great desire to host the newly created International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in the U.A.E. and his country’s wish for U.S. support in this endeavor.