The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted a small, private dinner with U.S. defense executives on Tuesday, February 18th at Butcher & Still at the Four Seasons Hotel in Abu Dhabi. This dinner, held on the margins of IDEX 2025, included the Honorable Martina Strong, U.S. Ambassador to the U.A.E., Major General Wendul G. Hagler II, Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi, Michael Miller, Director of the Defense Cooperation Agency (DSCA), James Holtsnider, Senior Bureau Official of the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, and other senior officials visiting Abu Dhabi for IDEX. The dinner enabled key U.S. and U.A.E. stakeholders to discuss trends, challenges, and opportunities for collaboration in the defense and security sectors, and hear from U.S. government officials about potential changes expected in various programs that might affect defense and security sales and collaboration with international partners.
Ambassador Strong spoke of the positive trajectory of the U.S.-U.A.E. defense and security relationship, as evidenced by the robust and growing presence of U.S. companies exhibiting at IDEX. She remarked on the United States’ willingness to take concrete steps forward towards greater bilateral commercial partnerships and the U.A.E.’s desire to move ahead with greater collaboration with the United States. Ambassador Strong stressed the importance of the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to the region, including to the U.A.E., which highlights the significance of this region and of the U.A.E. to U.S. global foreign policy objectives.
Major General Hagler highlighted the U.A.E.’s designation as a Major Defense Partner of the United States as an opportunity to build a bureaucratic bridge and align the two governments on defense and security matters. He emphasized that the aim of this closer collaboration is to “deter, defend against, and destroy” threats to the U.A.E.’s safety and security, as well as to U.S. national interests and regional stability.
DSCA Director Michael Miller sought comments and recommendations from U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council member companies regarding how the DSCA can guide and drive efficiencies in the interagency approval process for Foreign Military Sales, and committed to working closely with industry partners to improve the process. State Department’s Political-Military Affairs Senior Bureau Official James Holtsnider acknowledged the need for reform in the FMS and DCS process, and affirmed that the administration was committed to reducing the bureaucratic hurdles that confound and delay approvals. U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council members shared their perspectives on areas for collaboration and cooperation between U.S. and U.A.E. companies. They also provided feedback on the current FMS process and offsets programs.
The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council also hosted a roundtable discussion on Tuesday, February 18th with Mike Miller, Director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) at the U.S. Department of Defense, and Major General Wendul G. Hagler II, Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi.The event took place at the Andaz Capital Gate Hotel in Abu Dhabi and allowed U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council members to engage with U.S. government officials on the margins of IDEX, happening from February 17 – 21, 2025.
The off-the-record discussion centered on U.S. priorities in the U.A.E. and the Gulf region and the current state of the U.S.-U.A.E. defense and security relationship. USG officials emphasized the importance of the U.S.-U.A.E. strategic relationship to regional stability, and the close alignment of the two countries on regional matters. Major General Hagler discussed in particular the U.A.E.’s recent designation as a Major Defense Partner of the United States and outlined recent efforts with the U.A.E. Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Government to codify and maximize opportunities.
Conversation included an overview of U.S. policy regarding the release of defense articles and technology to partners in the Middle East region. Industry participants shared their perspectives on the FMS process and sought clarification regarding end use requirements and protection of U.S. technology. Mr. Miller highlighted the growing importance of foreign military sales and direct commercial sales to the U.S. defense industry, and to maintaining close cooperation with partner nations. He acknowledged the need for improvements in the approvals process and welcomed recommendations and feedback from industry partners.
For more information about the U.S.-U.A.E. defense and security relationship, please click
here to read a report published in February 2025 by the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council.
For questions about this event or the Business Council’s work in the aerospace and defense sector, please contact Amira Siddiqi at asiddiqi@usuaebusiness.org.
