Washington, D.C. – The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted an exclusive working lunch featuring keynote remarks by the Honorable Michael H. Corbin, United States Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), on Wednesday in Washington, D.C. The event brought together a diverse group of senior business executives representing companies that operate in both nations and officials from the U.S. and U.A.E. governments, respectively.
U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council President Danny Sebright kicked off the lunch by introducing Ambassador Corbin. In his opening remarks, Sebright applauded Ambassador Corbin’s commitment to promoting U.S. trade and commercial interests in the U.A.E. and encouraging the exploration of corporate partnerships among U.S. and U.A.E. firms to boost already record-breaking bilateral trade numbers. In doing so, Sebright lauded Ambassador Corbin for his “open-door” approach to dealing with business.
In his off-the record remarks, Ambassador Corbin emphasized the unique value proposition that American corporations present to their established and prospective partners in the U.A.E. In doing so, Ambassador Corbin highlighted the U.A.E.’s commitment to corporate responsibility, development of non-oil, diversified economic sectors, and the nation’s investment in entrepreneurship as well as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating within the country and the broader Middle East North Africa (MENA) region. Ambassador Corbin concluded his remarks by addressing some of the geopolitical challenges facing the Arabian Gulf, commending the U.A.E. on its position as a stable, tolerant, and innovative partner in the maintenance of regional and international security.
“It was just announced that the U.A.E. is the United States’ 15th largest export destination in the world,” said Ambassador Corbin. “Events like today’s lunch are an excellent opportunity to highlight the U.A.E. as a global crossroads for international business and a destination ripe for greater investment and partnership with the private sector in the U.S.”
Following Corbin’s formal remarks, executives and officials in attendance were given the opportunity to engage the Ambassador directly to address specific commercial and regulatory issues impacting U.S.-U.A.E. business and the relevant implications of continued turbulence in the broader MENA region.
Ambassador Corbin has served as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates since July of 2011. Prior to his current Ambassadorship, Corbin served as a career officer in the U.S. Foreign Service, assuming various senior posts in Baghdad, Damascus, Cairo, Caracas, and Kuwait City since he joined the service in 1985.
