Two decades ago, it wasn’t unusual for US politicians to know little about the UAE — more than a few have referred to “Abu Dubai” when criticizing or praising its policies. Today, the country’s image in Washington has been transformed, mirroring its emergence as a regional power in finance, trade, defense, and now AI. Money helped: The UAE has spent more than $270 million on lobbying in Washington over the past decade, compared with $422 million by Saudi Arabia and $269 million by Qatar, according to the Financial Times.
But the paper credits much of the shift to Yousef Al Otaiba, the UAE’s ambassador to the US since 2008, who cultivated politicians, policymakers, universities, and the media while encouraging influential Americans to visit the Emirates. His efforts are the “ultimate case study in how to run a government public relations campaign in DC,” the FT reported.
