Ambassador Martina Strong
Martina Strong is honored to lead the U.S. Mission to the United Arab Emirates. A career Senior Foreign Service Officer, Ambassador Strong previously served as Chargé d’Affaires in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as Deputy Chief of Mission in Bulgaria. Her diplomatic career has spanned 27 years and included two assignments in Iraq, as the Political Minister Counselor in Baghdad and as the U.S. Army’s Political Advisor in Basrah.
Earlier in her career, Ambassador Strong was posted in Poland, the Czech Republic, Barbados, Bosnia Herzegovina, and France. She spent two years as Director on the National Security Council at the White House, where she headed the U.S. government’s multi-agency effort to organize the 2004 G-8 Summit in Sea Island, as well as two other G-8 Summits and various multilateral meetings.
Ambassador Strong is the recipient of the Meritorious Presidential Rank Award, numerous Department of State awards, and both the Meritorious Civilian Service Award and the Superior Civilian Service Award for her service in Iraq. In Bulgaria, the Defense Minister conferred on Ambassador Strong the Meritorious Service Medal for her contributions to the U.S.-Bulgarian security partnership. Ambassador Strong is married to Colonel (ret.) John L. Strong, and they have one daughter.
U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi
The mission of the U.S. Embassy is to advance the interests of the United States and to serve and protect U.S. citizens in the United Arab Emirates.
It is led by Charge d’Affaires Sean Murphy.
Like other U.S. Embassies abroad, the primary purpose of the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi is to assist American citizens who travel to or live in the U.A.E. U.S. Foreign Service Officers also interview citizens of the U.A.E. who wish to travel to the United States for business, education, or tourism purposes.
Embassy staff interact with representatives of the U.A.E. government, local businesses, nongovernmental organizations, the media, and educational institutions, as well as private citizens to increase understanding of the United States and its policies and to collaborate on shared interests. Embassy staff also analyze the political and economic situation in the U.A.E. and report back to the Department of State on issues that affect the United States.
Embassy staff additionally help U.S. businesses find partners and customers and train the U.A.E.’s police and military to support better security in the country. They also sponsor educational, professional, and cultural exchanges to introduce emerging and established leaders to the United States and to promote ties between U.S. and U.A.E. students, academics, scientists, entrepreneurs, political, religious, and civil society figures.
