The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted incoming U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates the Honorable Barbara A. Leaf for a roundtable luncheon in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday. The intimate, closed-door policy discussion brought twenty senior U.S. executives of the Business Council’s Board of Directors together to hear directly and candidly from Ambassador Leaf about her mission priorities prior to assuming her post in Abu Dhabi. The program also afforded senior executives present the opportunity to engage Ambassador Leaf on issues, challenges, and opportunities vital to enhancing U.S.-U.A.E. trade, commercial, economic, and security relations.
“I am entering into my role at a time when the United States and the United Arab Emirates are boasting their strongest diplomatic, strategic, and commercial ties ever. However, this relationship is surrounded by the uncertainty of the conflicts embroiling the Middle East,” said Ambassador Leaf. “I look forward to working with members of the American business community, and their insights will be critical to me as I undertake my duties in Abu Dhabi.”
Following a brief introduction from U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council President Danny Sebright, Ambassador Leaf delivered her perspective on the U.S.-U.A.E. commercial relationship, noting hallmark U.S.-U.A.E. partnerships in healthcare, higher education, commercial aerospace and defense, infrastructure, energy, transportation, and other key sectors underpinning economic development in both countries. Ambassador Leaf concluded her remarks by reflecting on what she hopes to achieve in the U.A.E., emphasizing her commitment to continuing to enhance programs geared towards advocating on behalf of American business operating in the U.A.E.
“I want to get to work immediately and fix what is not working, and in doing so, I hope you will see me as a resource,” said Ambassador Leaf.
In closing, Sebright lauded the work of Ambassador Michael Corbin over the last 3.5 years and encouraged those in attendance to engage Ambassador Leaf on important topics and issues. During this session, Leaf and the executives discussed key areas of commercial partnership, opportunities for increased investment, the impact of regional politics on trade and business, and areas to improve upon and streamline ease of doing business in the region.
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The Honorable Barbara Leaf
Incoming U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates
U.S. Department of State
Barbara A. Leaf was confirmed as the next U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates on November 17th. Previously she served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Arabian Peninsula Affairs in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs; assuming the post on May 6, 2013. Prior to her current assignment, she was Deputy Assistant Secretary for Iraq Affairs from 2011-2013. Ms. Leaf directed the U.S. Provincial Reconstruction Team in the strategic province of Basrah, Iraq from 2010-2011, leaving an assignment as Political Minister Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Rome, Italy, to oversee the PRT’s transition to a U.S. Consulate General. Prior to Rome, Ms. Leaf served as the first Director of the Department of State’s Office of Iranian Affairs. The new office was announced by Secretary of State Rice in March 2006, as part of a wider initiative to bring policy focus to bear on Iran, rebuild a cadre of language and country expertise within the Department, and substantially increase people-to-people exchanges between the United States and Iran. In addition to the country affairs office, Ms. Leaf directed the activities of a network of new “Iran watcher” positions in U.S. embassies abroad, as well as the new Iran Regional Presence Post in Dubai, U.A.E.
Prior to this assignment, from 2004-2006 Ms. Leaf served as Political Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, where she helped advance key U.S. policy goals on democratization and political reform, counter-terrorism, and regional reintegration among the former combatant states of the former Yugoslavia. From 2003-2004, she directed the Regional Headquarters of the Office of the High Representative (OHR), in Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina, enforcing local implementation of civilian aspects of the Dayton peace accords, including the return of refugees to areas from which they had been ethnically cleansed.
From 2001 to 2003 Ms. Leaf served as Advisor to the Department’s Medical Director, in a position created in the wake of September 11 to develop medical and security programs to counter and respond to chemical/biological/nuclear threats to U.S. diplomatic installations abroad.
