Undersecretary of State Fernandez visits United Arab Emirates and Oman

Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez will travel to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on February 21-22 and Muscat, Oman, on February 23-24. During his visit, Undersecretary Fernandez will meet with governments, businesses and other stakeholders to discuss supply chain resilience, the clean energy transition, climate change, protecting and promoting critical and emerging technologies, and strengthening people-to-people connections. His discussions will focus on advancing economic cooperation with the region to foster inclusive economic growth and prosperity. The Deputy Secretary will also engage with foreign counterparts on the negative economic impact of Russia’s war on Ukraine on the region and the future of trade and investment between our two countries.

In Abu Dhabi, Undersecretary Fernandez will represent the United States at the I2U2 (Israel, India, UAE and the United States) business forum hosted by the UAE; De Al Nahyan and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi jointly announced the first deputy ministerial meeting since the grouping. During the forum, partner countries will discuss opportunities to advance regional cooperation and investment opportunities to build partnerships to address some of the region’s most pressing issues, including the management of the energy crisis and food insecurity. Deputy Secretary Fernandez will also meet with senior UAE officials to discuss bilateral climate and clean energy cooperation, food security, and other shared economic priorities as the UAE prepares to host COP28 in November 2023. Dr. Cary Fowler, Special Envoy for Global Food Security, will join Deputy Secretary Fernandez in advancing US food security priorities.

In Muscat, Deputy Secretary of State Fernandez will lead the US delegation to participate in the first US-Arab Strategic Dialogue. The strategic dialogue will focus on promoting bilateral trade and investment, developing clean energy solutions, and strengthening cultural and educational ties between the two countries. The deputy minister will meet senior government officials to discuss Oman’s key role in driving progress to address shared challenges in the region, including the climate crisis and building safer and more resilient supply chains. He will also hold bilateral consultations on economic growth and partnership opportunities between the United States and Oman that promote prosperity for all.

To stay updated, follow Deputy Secretary Fernandez on Twitter: @State_E, Facebook: @StateDeptE and LinkedIn: @State-E.

For press inquiries, please contact: E_Communications@state.gov.