(Washington, D.C.) — The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted a luncheon in honor of the Honorable Michael H. Corbin, the newly confirmed United States Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), at the W Hotel in Washington, D.C.  Business executives, policy experts, and government officials from both the U.S. and the U.A.E. — including several former U.S. Ambassadors— attended the event to welcome the Ambassador to his post.

Danny Sebright, President of the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council, provided opening remarks and formally introduced Ambassador Corbin to the U.S.-U.A.E. business and policy community.  Mr. Sebright expressed the business community’s eagerness to work in coordination with the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate in Dubai to deepen the strong commercial ties that exist between the two countries.

In his remarks, Ambassador Corbin applauded the U.A.E.’s open business environment and underscored the important role that the commercial relationship plays in strengthening the overall relations between the two countries. Ambassador Corbin encouraged business and government representatives who work to strengthen the commercial relationship to continue to explore new opportunities for partnership.

Following his remarks, Ambassador Corbin took questions and comments from guests at the event and emphasized his intent to listen to the issues and concerns of the business community when he assumes his post in Abu Dhabi at the end of July.

Ambassador Corbin is a career U.S. Foreign Service Officer with vast experience in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, having held senior diplomatic positions in Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, and Syria.

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Michael H. Corbin

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

of the United States of America to the United Arab Emirates

Michael H. Corbin was confirmed by the Senate on Thursday, June 30th and will begin his new position as Ambassador of the United States to the United Arab Emirates in July 2011.

A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, he most recently served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. Prior to this assignment, he was Minister-Counselor for Political-Military Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad from 2008 to 2009 and Charge d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Damascus, Syria from 2006 to 2008.

Ambassador Corbin served as Minister Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo from 2003 to 2006. He was Deputy Director of the Office of Arabian Peninsula Affairs in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs from 2001 to 2003. Ambassador Corbin served as Director of the Counter-Narcotics Section at the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela from 1997 to 2001 and Political-Military Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, Egypt from 1994 to 1997. His first overseas post was at the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait City, Kuwait from 1987 to 1989. Ambassador Corbin joined the Foreign Service in 1985.

Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Ambassador Corbin served in the Peace Corps from 1982 to 1984 in Mauritania. He received a bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore College.