The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, the Honorable Barbara A. Leaf, for lunch in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday during her first trip to Washington since assuming her duties.  The closed-door policy discussion brought over 100 senior executives and key government officials from both countries together to discuss recent economic and political developments impacting U.S.-U.A.E. trade, commerce, and business.

“The United States and the United Arab Emirates have strong economic, cultural, and security partnerships,” said Ambassador Leaf.  “These partnerships continue to strengthen and grow as we confront shared threats to regional security. While our current trade and commercial ties are very strong, together we will continue to strengthen them even further by encouraging and facilitating two-way trade and investment.  The American market and our goods and services remain the best in the world. The U.A.E. market is very strong itself, and the U.A.E. is an excellent gateway to Africa and Asia.”

Following an introduction from U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council President Danny Sebright, Ambassador Leaf delivered her perspectives on the development of the U.S.-U.A.E. commercial relationship within a regional and global context.  Ambassador Leaf highlighted mutual growth between the U.S. and the U.A.E. in multiple sectors including healthcare, higher education, commercial aerospace, defense, and transportation.

Ambassador Leaf addressed the need for continued development of commercial programs through the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the U.S. Consulate in Dubai and concluded her remarks by thanking the honored guests and the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council for providing a platform upon which public and private sector stakeholders can drive the commercial agenda between the two countries.

Following the formal program, Sebright opened the floor for questions and encouraged the audience to engage Ambassador Leaf on important topics and issues.  During the Q&A session, executives and officials discussed key areas of commercial partnership, opportunities for increased investment, the impact of regional politics on trade, and the U.A.E.’s participation in the U.S.-led global coalition’s fight against Daesh/ISIL and on countering violent extremism.

For your information, the biography of Ambassador Leaf can be found below.

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The Honorable Barbara Leaf
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 2014. 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.

From 1996-2000, Ms. Leaf served as the Department’s Middle East “Watcher” at the U.S. Embassy in Paris, reporting on French policies on Iraq, Iran, the Arab-Israeli dispute, Libya, and terrorism issues.

Ms. Leaf’s previous tours include assignments in Cairo, as Kuwait Desk Officer during the first Gulf War, Jerusalem, the Department’s Operations Center, and Port-au-Prince.

Ms. Leaf is a member of the Senior Foreign Service. She has received six Superior Honor and two Meritorious Honor Awards. She received her B.A. in Government from the College of William and Mary and a Master’s Degree in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia, with a focus on Soviet Affairs.

Ms. Leaf speaks and reads Arabic, French, Italian, and Serbo-Croatian. She is married and has two daughters.