The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted an evening reception on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City in honor of a delegation from the U.A.E. Space Agency participating in United Nations General Assembly meetings. Distinguished guests included H.E. Ambassador Mohamed Abushahab, Permanent Representative of the U.A.E. to the United Nations, and H.E. Amna Almheiri, U.A.E. Consul-General in New York. The event brought together diplomats, government officials, and representatives from industry, academia, and research institutions to celebrate the U.A.E.’s achievements in space and explore new U.S.-U.A.E. collaboration opportunities.

H.E. Amna Almheiri lauded the strength of the U.S.-U.A.E. relationship, which has gained renewed momentum following H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s recent visit to the United States. Noting the U.A.E.’s investments of over $1 trillion in the United States, she emphasized that the U.A.E. is also the largest regional market for U.S. exports and is home to over 1,500 U.S. companies and 50,000 Americans. In the space sector, she highlighted the U.A.E.’s founding role in the Artemis Accords and its partnership with NASA on the Artemis Project to provide the Airlock for the Lunar Gateway Space Station. She praised the ongoing partnership between the two countries in space, stating, “It is clear that we have a bright future.”

Ms. Fatima Al Shamsi, Director of Space Policy and International Relations at the U.A.E. Space Agency, outlined three key priorities for the Agency: 

• Space exploration – through the Emirates Mars Mission, the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt, and the U.A.E. astronaut program
• Utilizing space data – to address global challenges such as climate change
• Enabling the private sector to achieve national space priorities – with initiatives such as the Space Economic Zone Program

Ms. Al Shamsi also previewed the Abu Dhabi Space Debate, scheduled for December 10-11, 2024, under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. This year’s conference will focus on space accessibility, sustainability, and security, and organizers plan to collate actionable outcomes into a report to be shared with the international space community. She encouraged U.S. companies to participate and contribute to the success of the event and noted the approaching registration deadline of November 5. Please click here to watch a preview video for the Abu Dhabi Space Debate and click here to register to attend the conference. Please email sez@space.gov.ae to express interest in participating in various economic discussions and engagements that will take place in-person on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi Space Debate.

Mr. Abdulla Al Shehi, Head of Strategic Research at the U.A.E. Space Agency, emphasized the U.A.E.’s commitment to making its space data publicly accessible and promoting industrial applications for space technology.

For questions about this event and the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council’s work in the space sector, please contact Amira Siddiqi at asiddiqi@danny