His Excellency Yousef Al Otaiba has served as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador to the United States since 2008, leading efforts to strengthen trade, security and diplomatic cooperation between the two nations.
Under his leadership, the UAE has become the largest export market for US goods in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, supporting tens of thousands of American jobs. He played a key role in brokering the Abraham Accords, expanding regional partnerships and helping to establish the Partnership for Accelerating Clean Energy (PACE), a $100 billion UAE-US initiative focused on clean energy deployment.
Ambassador Al Otaiba continues to drive engagement on regional security, energy policy and economic cooperation. In 2025, he spoke at the World Governments Summit on public diplomacy and the UAE’s role in global problem-solving. He has also contributed to discussions on Gaza, Iran and US-UAE defense coordination, working to align policy with key regional issues.
For over four US administrations, Ambassador Al Otaiba has leveraged his role as the UAE’s most...His Excellency Yousef Al Otaiba has served as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador to the United States since 2008, leading efforts to strengthen trade, security and diplomatic cooperation between the two nations.
Under his leadership, the UAE has become the largest export market for US goods in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, supporting tens of thousands of American jobs. He played a key role in brokering the Abraham Accords, expanding regional partnerships and helping to establish the Partnership for Accelerating Clean Energy (PACE), a $100 billion UAE-US initiative focused on clean energy deployment.
Ambassador Al Otaiba continues to drive engagement on regional security, energy policy and economic cooperation. In 2025, he spoke at the World Governments Summit on public diplomacy and the UAE’s role in global problem-solving. He has also contributed to discussions on Gaza, Iran and US-UAE defense coordination, working to align policy with key regional issues.
For over four US administrations, Ambassador Al Otaiba has leveraged his role as the UAE’s most senior diplomat in Washington, DC, to advance healthcare, sustainable energy and education. His significant contributions led to his promotion to Minister of State in 2017.
Ambassador Al Otaiba is committed to philanthropy and social causes. He played a vital role in bringing the Special Olympics to the UAE in 2019, marking the first time the games were held in the Middle East. His advocacy for inclusion in sports led him to join the Special Olympics Board of Directors in 2019.
Educated at Cairo American College, Georgetown University, and the National Defense University, Ambassador Al Otaiba remains involved in technology, AI and sustainability efforts to support both the US and the UAE’s long-term growth.READ MOREVIEW LESS
Yousef Al Otaiba is the Ambassador of the UAE to the U.S. Since his appointment in 2008, Ambassador Al Otaiba has made it a priority to strengthen and broaden the alliance between the UAE and the U.S. In recognition of his efforts, he was named Ambassador of the Year by the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce in 2010. In 2017, he was further promoted to the position of Minister of State.
As Minister of State and the UAE's top diplomat in the US, the Ambassador has a unique opportunity to disseminate a forceful message of tolerance and inclusion while focusing on the shared values that bind the UAE and the US together.
Yousef served the UAE as the non-resident Ambassador to Mexico. A non-resident embassy is one in which the Ambassador does not live in the country to which he is accredited.
The Crown Prince's Court - UAE
Senior Advisor and Director of International Affairs
2000
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2008
Abu Dhabi, AE
The Crown Prince Court (CPC) was founded in 1976 with the mission of assisting HH the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi in carrying out His Highness' national and international responsibilities, as well as facilitating interaction between the Crown Prince and UAE citizens through general correspondence, hearing individual concerns and problems, and recommending solutions.
The UAE and the United States share a vision for the future that is centered on climate action, inclusivity, gender equality, diversity, educational achievement, and the promotion of arts and culture. Inspired by Ambassador Al Otaiba’s leadership, the UAE USA United campaign was created as a joint venture between the two countries to form valuable partnerships and grow this alliance.
The Center for Public Research was founded in 2000 as a contribution from the Wexner Foundation to the Harvard Kennedy School. The center conducts research in order to equip leaders in government, non-profit organizations and business with effective leadership skills.
The Special Olympics was formed in 1968 with the goal of encouraging all persons to be included and accepted. It leverages the power of sport to give persons with intellectual disabilities a space to explore their talents, skills, abilities and successes.
The American University in Cairo was founded in 1919 and is a premier English-language, US-accredited institution of higher education. AUC is the intellectual, social and cultural heart of the Arab world, serving as a crossroads for world cultures and a thriving arena for reasoned argument and passionate debate.
Through cutting-edge scientific research, strategic species recovery, habitat restoration, Panthera is creating a world where wild cats thrive in healthy, natural and developed landscapes that sustain people and biodiversity.
The United Arab Emirates and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are collaborating to enhance world health. The UAE partnered with the Gates Foundation to help distribute life-saving vaccines to those who need them most.
The EastWest Institute's continuing programmatic work connects a diverse network of professionals and influencers around the world. The EWI participates in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, brings diametrically opposed parties to the bargaining table and anticipates and develops answers to global concerns.
UAE Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba says, "Four years ago, we committed to make the Abu Dhabi Games the most inclusive event in the 50-year history of Special Olympics. Tonight, it is my honor to pass on the torch of the Special Olympics World Games to our German friends."
The UAE-India Business Council, the UAE-Israel Business Council, and the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today to promote the I2U2 Initiative and garner private sector support for this new economic partnership among India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.
Emirati, American, Indian and Israeli leaders, including UAE Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba, signed a memorandum of understanding to create a joint business coalition under the I2U2 initiative.
The idea for the Manara Center was conceived in conversations with UAE Ambassador to the U.S. Yousef Al Otaiba several years ago, as the Gulf nation prepared for its Year of Tolerance.
Ambassador Al Otaiba reflects on the UAE’s successes over the past year in space exploration, climate action, and advancing the relationship between the US and the UAE.
UAE officials, including Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba, assisted the US with negotiations to free US basketball player, Brittney Griner, from Russian detainment.
Officials from the UAE celebrated National Day 2022 with American partners and friends at the UAE Embassy. Ambassador Al Otaiba remarked on the strides that the UAE has made over the 51 years since the nation’s founding.
Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba celebrated the vast array of UAE cultures and traditions at the country’s Living Landscape | Living Memory program during the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
Ambassador Al Otaiba joined Bronx officials for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of the newly restored Crotona Park soccer field as part of the UAE Embassy’s Community Soccer Program.
Podbridge was launched by the UAE Embassy in Washington, DC to provide new opportunities for global involvement and to build a bridge between the United States, the Middle East, and the rest of the globe. Special guests from a variety of fields are invited to provide their perspectives on current events, cultural trends, and global issues.
Building upon the Abraham Accords, Yousef Al Otaiba suggested that the Emirates could work to expand two recently announced working groups with Israel. The working groups offer significant progress in the areas of food security, agriculture, and technology.
In the spirit of the Abraham Accords, Yousef Al Otaiba welcomed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UAE and Israeli ministers Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed and Yair Lapid gathered for dinner at his residence.
Diplomats from Israel, the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco gathered in Washington, D.C. and New York to mark one year since the historic Abraham Accords agreements.
Yousef Al Otaiba and others discuss the long road that has seen the UAE move from an economic boycott of Egypt in 1979 for making peace with Israel to the signing of the Abraham Accord in 2020.
At the World Governments Summit, HE Yousef Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to the US, discusses public diplomacy and the UAE’s strategic approach to international relations. The conversation highlights the UAE’s global engagement, diplomatic priorities and commitment to fostering collaboration on key issues.
Jonathan Greenblatt from the ADL and UAE Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba appeared on Morning Joe to discuss the Manara Center. Launched in March and located in Abu Dhabi, the center is dedicated to promoting co-existence in the region and has formed a partnership with the Anti-Defamation League.
As part of the UAE Embassy's 50 Years | 50 Faces campaign, Yousef Al Otaiba reflects on his lifelong journey leading up to becoming Ambassador of the UAE to the US.
In this interview with The National News , Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba discussed his widely read op-ed, “Annexation Will Be a Serious Setback for Better Relations with the Arab World,” and the future of UAE-Israel normalization.
In this interview with the Tällberg Foundation, Yousef Al Otaiba shares his thoughts on the transformative potential of the Abraham Accords and how this agreement can lead to a better economic and cultural future for Middle Eastern nations.
Yousef Al Otaiba joins Battlegrounds podcast host, H.R. McMaster, to discuss the Abraham Accords, the humanitarian crisis crises in Syria and Yemen, and other pertinent issues in the Gulf region.
50 Years | 50 Faces is a UAE Embassy storytelling initiative that features contributions from a range of Emiratis and Americans who share their personal stories on the UAE’s history and relations with the US.
After the signing of the Abraham Accords Peace Agreement, The Jerusalem Post published a feature on Yousef Al Otaiba, highlighting his tireless work in advancing peace among MIddle Eastern nations and his extensive background as a diplomat and global leader.
Arabian Business highlights Yousef's diplomatic career in Washington, DC, while also offering insight into his background, education, and charitable work.
Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba writes in Bloomberg about how strong cooperation between Emirati and American businesses is helping drive advances in technology, such as AI.
Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba contributed to the UAE Embassy in Washington, DC’s, white paper, which highlights the UAE’s evolution into an economy built on advanced technology, and the various UAE-US partnerships helping to drive the tech revolution in both countries.
Yousef Al Otaiba and other officials, business executives and scholars examine the economic, political and human consequences of regional normalization initiatives, as well as their potential to re-ignite Palestinian peace talks.
Yousef Al Otaiba, the UAE Ambassador to the US, praises the new agreement with Israel as a stepping stone to a better future in the Middle East, including increased prosperity and innovation, greater chances for young people, and the dismantling of long-held stereotypes.
In this op-ed, Yousef Al Otaiba writes that a unilateral and unlawful acquisition of Palestinian land will defy international consensus on the Palestinian right to self-determination, spark riots and send shockwaves throughout the region, notably in Jordan, where the stability of Israel is often taken for granted.
The Abu Dhabi World Games were the first and largest World Games ever staged in the region. Yousef writes that he believes the games will highlight the skills, achievements and untapped potential of those who have been marginalized around the world.
The Center for Public Leadership Research was established in 2000 as a gift to the Harvard Kennedy School from the Wexner Foundation. The center undertakes research to provide effective leadership skills to leaders in government, non-profit organizations and business.
The Wilson Center in Washington, DC, is a renowned think tank that brings together experience and new ideas to help tackle the world's most pressing policy concerns.
The Milken Institute is a global non-profit organization that helps individuals establish meaningful and healthy lives in which they may access effective education and gainful employment while also developing and contributing to the larger community.
The Guggenheim Museum, founded in 1937, is a repository for Impressionist, early-Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary art. Some of the world's most well-known works of art are permanently housed at the museum.
The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a thriving cultural hub that annually links thousands of performers with millions of people in person, online and in their communities.
UAE Ambassador to the US, Yousef Al Otaiba, received the Abraham Award at the Never Is Now Summit for his leadership in brokering the historic Abraham Accords, advancing peace and dialogue in the Middle East and supporting the Anti-Defamation League’s efforts in the UAE through the Manara Center.
Yousef Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to the United States of America, has been conferred with the First Class Order of Zayed II by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, recognising his role in fostering strong economic and trade partnerships between the UAE and the USA.
Yousef Al Otaiba was one of the inaugural recipients of the Meridian Global Leadership Award for Space Diplomacy, which recognized his significant contributions to the UAE space program and US-UAE cooperation in space.
Yousef was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People. As the UAE's long-serving Ambassador to the US, Yousef holds significant influence in Washington, which greatly advances the small Gulf nation.
The Joseph E Robert Jr Philanthropy Prize was established to recognize families who have given back after a personal encounter with the institution. Ambassador Al Otaiba was instrumental in the establishment of the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation in 2009, which specializes in advanced surgery, pain treatment, and other pediatric-related advances.
The International Fellows Hall of Fame was created in 1999. The goal of this program is to provide a prestigious and visible means of honoring National Defense University (NDU) graduates who have attained the highest positions in their nation's armed forces, service component or government through merit, or who have held an equivalent position in a multinational organization.
Ambassador Al Otaiba was honored with the Global Leadership Award honoring his commitment to furthering the aim of a responsible, just and peaceful world and his support for the university.
The World Affairs Council of Washington, DC presented the Distinguished Diplomatic Service Award to Ambassador Al Otaiba. The award acknowledges the UAE's efforts to develop its bilateral relationship with the United States through diplomatic outreach and engagement.
The National US-Arab Chamber of Commerce "Ambassador of the Year" award is given to a member of the Arab diplomatic corps in the United States each year for outstanding contributions to US-Arab relations.
Leadership Seminar at the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy
2007
Washington, DC, USA
The Institute for the Study of Diplomacy in the School of Foreign Service organizes and hosts the annual Georgetown Leadership Seminar, a prominent executive education program. Over the course of 30 years, more than 900 people from over 100 countries have taken part in the program.
UAE Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba joins a panel of world-class speakers and financial industry experts to impart opinions, ideas and takes on alternative investments. The event takes place at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands.
H.E. Yousef Al Otaiba joined other panelists to discuss the existing challenges facing women in the UAE when it comes to venture funding and, among other topics, examine the transformative impact of women-specific programs.
Yousef Al Otaiba joined other global leaders in a discussion on the road to signing the Abraham Accords peace agreements and how they see the agreement's role in future efforts at peace in the region.
Starting at 1:15:50, Yousef Al Otaiba joined former Ambassador Marc Siever to discuss the Abraham Accords at the Atlantic Council’s recent conference on security.
Ambassador Al Otaiba joined other ambassadors and Johns Hopkins leaders to honor the partnership between the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and the UAE’s Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA).
Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba and Ambassador Shaikh Abdulla bin Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa discuss the early accomplishments of the Abraham Accords and their shared vision for its impact on regional peace in the future.
Ambassador Al Otaiba’s lecture for Cleveland Clinic’s Ideas for Tomorrow, a virtual speaker series that features leaders in their discussion regarding the future of healthcare.
In a discussion titled, “The Future of Arab-Israeli Diplomacy,” Yousef Al Otaiba and Jeremy Issacharoff, Amb. of Israel to Germany, focus on the history of UAE-Israel relations, the benefits of the Abraham Accords and the shared interests that will ultimately bond both countries together for a better future.
The Washington Institute convened a virtual Policy Forum with Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba, Samer Khoury, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum and David Makovsky to honor the release of this special study and discuss policy on Israel, Palestine, and the larger Arab world.
Created by Yousef and Abeer Al Otaiba, the Goodwill Fund supports the King Hussein Cancer Center in providing patients with comprehensive care, raising awareness for cancer prevention, and supporting nonprofit initiatives in Jordan and around the world.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Donor
Seattle, WA, USA
Ambassador Al Otaiba has pledged over $150 million on behalf of the UAE in to fund vaccination efforts and medical treatments to help eliminate polio, particularly in vulnerable communities.
An avid soccer fan and player himself, Yousef Al Otaiba supports the UAE Embassy’s Community Soccer Program. This program helps underserved communities across the US develop soccer fields to provide opportunities for kids to keep fit, learn teamwork and improve their soccer skills in a safe environment.
Children's National Hospital has innovated pediatric healthcare around the US and world for more than 150 years. Serving the nation's children, the hospital is one of the top 10 pediatric hospitals in the United States.
His Excellency Yousef Al Otaiba, an early and important supporter of NYU Abu Dhabi and the UAE Ambassador to the United States, delivered keynote remarks at NYU Abu Dhabi’s 3rd graduation ceremony on Monday, May 23, 2016.
Yousef Al Otaiba attended the grand opening of the Holladay Field project in November of 2021. Also a donor of the facility’s renovation project, Yousef sees this as an important project that helps highlight the importance of youth sports for kids, families, and the community.
NYU Abu Dhabi, a research university with a fully integrated liberal arts and scientific college, is the first comprehensive liberal arts and science campus in the Middle East to be run abroad by a major American research institution.
Johns Hopkins University is a private research institution located in Baltimore, Maryland. The university was named after its first sponsor, the American entrepreneur and philanthropist Johns Hopkins, when it was founded in 1876. It is the country's oldest research university.
Yousef Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to the US, received the Abraham Award at the Never Is Now Summit for his role in the Abraham Accords, advancing peace in the Middle East and supporting the ADL’s UAE efforts through the Manara Center.
Stern at NYUAD, a collaboration between NYU Stern and NYU Abu Dhabi, celebrated its inauguration with leaders and officials, including HE Yousef Al Otaiba. The event highlighted NYUAD’s commitment to advancing global business education in the region.
United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador to the US, Yousef Al Otaiba, hosted an interfaith Iftar at the UAE Embassy in Washington, DC. More than 150 religious leaders, senior government and community officials, and members of the media were in attendance.
On December 2nd, diplomats gathered at the United Arab Emirates Embassy in Washington, DC to celebrate the UAE’s 50th National Day and Golden Jubilee. The event is a tribute to the UAE’s five decades as a nation.
Yousef Al Otaiba attended an event where a senior delegation of officials from the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) visited Washington, DC to highlight progress around the development of the UAE’s peaceful nuclear energy program.
