His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the United Arab Emirates, hosted U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Abu Dhabi to enhance peace and security through a continued strategic partnership.
The February 2025 engagement included discussions about regional and national security issues, including peace in Gaza and Lebanon. Rubio thanked Sheikh Mohamed for his country’s humanitarian assistance to residents of Gaza and highlighted the imperative that hostages be released.
In light of attacks by the Houthi terrorist group on commercial shipping, the two leaders addressed threats to freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.
Concurrent with the diplomatic engagement, UAE naval forces joined the U.S. and dozens of regional partners at the International Maritime Exercise in Bahrain to secure the free flow of commerce through strategic waterways like the Straits of Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb and Suez Canal.
The two countries also stressed the need for sustained economic ties. The U.S. secretary of state praised the UAE’s significant investments in technology like artificial intelligence and quantum computing.
In an earlier meeting with Rubio, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE, praised the “dynamic and evolving nature” of the UAE-U.S. strategic relationship based on a deep history of constructive collaboration that benefits both countries.
During his visit to Abu Dhabi, Rubio visited the Abrahamic Family House, an interfaith center on Saadiyat Island that contains a mosque, church and synagogue.
It was created in the spirit of the Document on Human Fraternity signed by Ahmed El-Tayeb, representing al-Azhar Mosque, and Pope Francis, representing the Roman Catholic Church.