US Department of Commerce strengthens commercial ties and expands digital attaché program in the UAE

To coincide with the first meeting of the new United States-United Arab Emirates Strategic Dialogue, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the Department is working to conclude two memorandums of understanding with Emirati government agencies promoting foreign direct investment, innovation, and entrepreneurship as well as the expansion of the International Trade Administration’s (ITA) Digital Attaché Program to Dubai, UAE. This move provides U.S. companies with two on-the-ground resources in the Middle East, one in Cairo and one in Dubai, that will develop new opportunities in this critical region and support the Department’s increased engagement with countries across the Middle East on important digital trade issues, including cross border data flows.

“The Trump Administration and the Department of Commerce remain committed to making resources available to the UAE in support of initiatives like this that encourage investment and strengthen commerce between our two countries,” said Secretary Ross. “Our countries represent two of the most innovative and advanced economies in the world and adopting a data privacy framework based upon existing global models and best practices is critical to economic recovery and advancement.”

The Digital Attaché Program is a key part of the Department’s effort to address 21st century trade barriers that U.S. companies face and to increase American export opportunities through global e-commerce channels in the digital economy. ITA currently has Digital Trade Officers (Attachés) in 15 other foreign markets — ASEAN (Singapore), Brazil, China, Egypt, the EU (Brussels), France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, South Africa, the United Kingdom and Vietnam.