Washington, D.C. – The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted an exclusive breakfast discussion featuring keynote remarks by the Honorable Michael H. Corbin, U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Thursday morning. The event brought together senior officials and former Ambassadors from the U.S. and U.A.E. government and included a diverse group of senior business executives of corporations operating in both nations.

Prior to introducing Ambassador Corbin, U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council President Danny Sebright discussed the newly released aviation report, commissioned recently by the Business Council. The study highlights U.S.-U.A.E. commercial aviation, the fastest growing bilateral aviation relationship in the world. In fact, the report finds that the U.S.-U.A.E. commercial aviation relationship generated $16 billion in benefit to the U.S. in 2012 alone and makes up the majority of the economic trade relationship between the two countries.

In his remarks, Ambassador Corbin emphasized the unique opportunities that American corporations have in the United Arab Emirates. Ambassador Corbin highlighted the U.A.E.’s commitment to corporate responsibility, development of alternative energy, and the nation’s investment in U.S. small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the Gulf. Further, Ambassador Corbin referenced the geopolitical challenges that face the Arabian Gulf and the broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region as contrasted against the backdrop of the U.A.E. as a source of stability, tolerance, innovation, and growth in the Gulf and around the world.

Following Corbin’s formal remarks, executives and officials in attendance were given the opportunity to address specific issues impacting U.S.-U.A.E. business and the rapid commercial developments in the region, both in terms of government cooperation as well as the potential challenges from the turmoil in the broader MENA region.

Ambassador Corbin has served as the U.S. ambassador in the United Arab Emirates since July of 2011. Prior to his Ambassadorship, Corbin held an illustrious career in the U.S. Foreign Service, serving in Baghdad, Damascus, Cairo, Caracas, and Kuwait City since 1985.