Biden sends all-star team to UAE to repair ties

President Joe Biden sent an allstar US delegation to the United Arab Emirates yesterday to offer condolences after the death of its ruler, in an apparent bid to repair frayed ties with Gulf Arab allies.

Washington’s desire to improve ties with Gulf monarchies has gained fresh urgency following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which highlighted the relevance of Gulf oil producers as Europe looks to cut energy dependence on Russia.

Since the weekend, world leaders have descended on the UAE to greet new leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan and pay their respects on the death of President Khalifa bin Zayed.

The US delegation, headed by vice-president Kamala Harris, includes nearly all Biden’s top national security aides, from the secretaries of state and defence and the head of the CIA to high-ranking White House officials.

“This is a major charm offensive on the part of the Biden administration to repair relations,” Omer Taspinar, a policy expert at the Brookings Institution think-tank, said.

Gulf states have so far refused to take sides in the Ukraine conflict.

Opec heavyweights Saudi Arabia and the UAE also resisted calls to hike output to help tame crude prices that have aggravated inflation worldwide.

The make-up of the delegation reflects Washington’s desire to show commitment to the region, senior US officials say.

Harris would emphasise the intent to deepen ties across areas ranging from security and climate to space, energy and commerce, they added.

The Middle East had not been a priority for the Biden administration, whose primary focus had been the China challenge, and since February, the US foreign policy agenda had been dominated by the Ukraine conflict.

“There is an attempt to put things back on track after UAE frustration with the US by the absence of high-level visits in the aftermath of Houthi attacks,” Taspinar added.

The Emiratis were frustrated by what they saw as lack of strong US support in the aftermath of missile attacks in January by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis on Abu Dhabi.

In a rare public admission in March the UAE envoy to Washington said the two nations’ ties were under stress.

Biden upset Sheikh Mohammed by not calling swiftly after the attacks and not responding more forcefully, including by reinstating a terrorist designation on the Houthis.

“The seniority and size of the US delegation is a very telling signal, and will be meaningful to Sheikh Mohammed and the UAE leadership,” a source familiar with Emirati thinking said.

At a meeting with Sheikh Mohammed in Morocco in March, secretary of state Antony Blinken assured the Emirati leader of Washington’s commitment to the region.

Gulf states have chafed at perceived declining US commitment to their security.