How UAE Ambassador to the US Yousef Al Otaiba won over Washington

Two decades ago, US politicians frequently knew little about the United Arab Emirates—some even confused it with other countries. That perception has shifted dramatically, Semafor reports, as the UAE emerged as a regional power in finance, trade, defense, and artificial intelligence. The transformation involved substantial financial investment: the UAE spent more than two hundred seventy million dollars on lobbying in Washington over the past decade. Per Semafor, the Financial Times credits much of the shift to Yousef Al Otaiba, the UAE's ambassador to the US since two thousand eight, who systematically cultivated relationships with politicians, policymakers, universities, and the media while inviting influential Americans to visit the Emirates. His strategic approach has been called the ultimate case study in how to run a government public relations campaign in Washington.

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