UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy Concludes Visit to Washington

Affirms Strait of Hormuz Must be Open as Part of Conclusive Outcome to Conflict

Highlights UAE’s Resilience, Strength of Bilateral Partnership in Meetings with US Policymakers

Washington, DC (April 20, 2026) – The Strait of Hormuz must be open – fully, unconditionally and without restriction, said UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy during a visit to Washington, where she met with Administration officials, Members of Congress, leading policy experts and humanitarian NGOs.

Throughout her engagements, HE Al Hashimy reinforced the need for a conclusive outcome to the conflict that addresses the full range of Iran’s threats, including nuclear capabilities, missiles, drones and terror proxies – in addition to blockades of international sea lanes.

The Minister affirmed the UAE’s resilience in the face of the recent Iranian attacks and highlighted the strength of UAE-US relations. She underscored the UAE’s commitment to invest $1.4 trillion in the US over 10 years.

Since the conflict began on February 28, the UAE has faced over 2,800 missile and drone attacks from Iran – far more than any other nation. More than 90% of the attacks targeted civilian infrastructure.

“It’s very clear that [Iran] has chosen to go down this path because we’re everything that they’re not,” said HE Al Hashimy in a live appearance Sunday on ABC’s This Week. “We are a model of economic prosperity, we have 200 nationalities that live there, we have religions and cultures from all around the world."

The Minister reinforced this message at the Semafor World Economy Summit, a gathering of more than 450 leading policymakers and business executives. During her remarks at the conference, HE Al Hashimy highlighted the UAE’s resolve and said the country will emerge stronger from the crisis.

In a series of bipartisan engagements on Capitol Hill, HE Al Hashimy met with Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Representative Greg Stanton (D-AZ), Representative Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Representative Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Representative Eugene Vindman (D-VA) and Representative Sarah Elfreth (D-MD).

The Minister also met with Senior Bureau Official Robert Palladino in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs at the Department of State.

In addition, Her Excellency met with senior leaders from NGOs, where she underscored the UAE’s ongoing commitment to humanitarian operations, aid delivery and development initiatives.

In conversations with US officials, HE Al Hashimy reaffirmed the enduring strength of the UAE-US partnership and underscored the importance of continued bilateral cooperation to advance shared priorities in security, economic growth and regional stability.

In 2025, bilateral trade between the UAE and US exceeded $34 billion. The UAE has been the US’s top export destination in the MENA region since 2009 – and one of the few countries with which the US enjoys a consistent global trade surplus.