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The Biden administration announced in the third week of July that the U.S. president will host a virtual summit that will include officials from Israel, the United Arab Emirates and India. The group is called I2U2, with “I2” for Israel and India and U2 for the United States and the United Arab Emirates. The meeting took place on Thursday, July 14 as a four-way video conference between US President Joe Biden and Israel’s Prime Minister Yar Rapid, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed. OneAccording to comments from National Security Advisor Jack Sullivan, tThe meeting is expected to focus on food security.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during the meeting, “IIt is clear that the vision and agenda of I2U2 are progressive and practical. ” Looking specifically at Biden’s agenda, NeThe New York Times reported that “I2U2 supports the United States in containing China’s influence in Asia and the Middle East, convinces Middle East leaders of Washington’s commitment to the region, and builds better ties between allies in different parts of the world.”
Thursday’s virtual meeting is an important step in developing the relationship between the four countries and the future of the group as a whole. The call is the “biggest sign” of an “ongoing commitment,” as Foreign Policy put it. According to a statement from the Indian government, I2U2 members also drew attention to purposeful projects, including “joint investments” in six “mutually defined areas” of water, energy, transport, space, health and food security. As experts point out, the I2U2 summit and future meetings also offer Biden and the U.S. an opportunity to rebuild ties in the Middle East and beyond, and perhaps repair ties damaged during the Trump administration. . By focusing on various projects such as food security, the Ukraine crisis and joint renewable energy projects, I2U2 seems to have the potential to make strides on a global scale. However, this will require countries to continue to deliver on their partnership commitments.
First announced in October 2021, I2U2 is considered to some extent as a partner in The Quad, another four-way initiative between the US and India, Australia and Japan. While some argue that I2U2 does not have the same clear unifying goal as The Quad, where the Quad members want to work together to deal with Beijing, I2U2 still has some common goals. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi commented in a recent press release that “each country … has regular Sherpa-level interactions to discuss possible areas of cooperation.”
Biden commented during the meeting that I2U2 “if [they] gather together. Ultimately, every country has the potential to benefit greatly from the initiative if I2U2 is able to stay connected and collaborate on the many goals and projects shared publicly this week. It will also be an opportunity to highlight the message of global collaboration.
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