Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba

The UAE: Focusing on Education

The only federation of Arab states, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) prioritizes education, both domestically and abroad. Yousef Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to the United States, earned a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and served as an International Fellow of the Industrial College of the United States Armed Forces at National Defense University. Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba also fosters the cooperation and respect between the two countries that enables global educational partnerships.

UAE founder President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan believed in educating and training the populace. The federation’s adult literacy rate, 54 percent for men and 31 percent for women in 1975, has grown to nearly 90 percent for both genders. In the early 1950s, few formal schools existed in the UAE. By 2006, the federation included more than 1,200 public and private institutions, including numerous K-12 programs. In 2005, President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan established the Abu Dhabi Education Council, which enlisted the services of Zayed University to develop English-language skills in four model elementary schools, with an expansion planned to all schools.

In higher education, UAE’s public universities include United Arab Emirates University, Zayed University, and four campuses of Higher Colleges of Technology. The federation, the size of Maine, also supports a number of private institutions, such as the American Universities of Dubai and Sharjah, the University of Sharjah, Abu Dhabi University, ALHOSN University, and Ajman University of Science & Technology. The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology opened in 2009 as the first graduate research and education facility focused on overcoming the global dependence on fossil fuels. Numerous international universities maintain a presence in the UAE as well, including the Sorbonne, New York, and Boston Universities; the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; and the Rochester Institute of Technology.

The UAE also supports technical education through sponsored vocational and technical education centers, such as the Dubai School of Government, the Emirates Aviation College, and the Emirates Institute for Banking and Financial Studies. In keeping with its philosophy of providing education for all, the UAE guarantees educational opportunities for individuals with special needs through vocational and rehabilitation centers. In addition, a partnership with the New England Center for Children in Massachusetts provides assistance and training for educators who offer autism services in Abu Dhabi.

Executive Focus: Sulaiman Al Jassim, Vice President, Zayed University Uploaded by theprospectgroup on Oct 16, 2011

United Arab Emirates Rich in Architectural Tradition

The architecture of the United Arab Emirates serves as an indicator of the culture and lifestyle of its people. While new construction, especially of commercial and business facilities, displays some of the most advanced styles and products available in the world, the distinctive styles of traditional buildings capture the imagination with their unique artistry and attention to function. Diplomatic efforts by such notable representatives as United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the United States Yousef Al Otaiba foster global appreciation of the region’s architecture.

Historically, the residences of the communities that make up the United Arab Emirates reflected the availability of local resources. Builders in coastal areas utilized such materials as fossilized coral, lime obtained from seashells, and clay, while construction in more inland regions might have featured mud fashioned into blocks. Buildings throughout the United Arab Emirates generally employed construction materials that could withstand high temperatures and stay cool through long, hot days. Moreover, architectural details such as wind towers allowed rising heat to escape structures that often possessed few external windows and otherwise had little ventilation.

Many of the houses in the areas that comprise the United Arab Emirates included a central interior courtyard that offered families a completely private retreat with access to the outdoors. The courtyards remained separate from rooms used by male members of a family to entertain male friends and other guests.

About Yousef Al Otaiba: Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba immersed himself in his diplomatic career in 2001, when he undertook the role of Director of International Affairs for the Court of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. He attained his current position as United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the United States in 2008, serving as a liaison between governments to facilitate cooperation and understanding. Yousef Al Otaiba graduated from Cairo American College in Egypt and later completed a degree in International Relations at Georgetown University.

(Source: uae-embassy.org)

Institutional Partnerships between the United States and the U.A.E.

Institutional partnerships represent one of the most important aspects of a positive relationship between two countries. Thanks to the efforts of United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) Ambassador to the United States Yousef Al Otaiba and other foreign officials, the U.S. and the U.A.E. benefit from several partnerships in such diverse fields as sports and culture, business, academics, health care, and energy.

Academics

As two of the world’s leaders in higher education and technically demanding labor, the United States and the U.A.E. maintain a large quantity of academic cooperation in a variety of fields. Through a strategic partnership with the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is currently developing the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, which concentrates on clean energy technologies and research-driven graduate programs. For more than five years, the New York Institute of Technology has offered a handful of degree programs at the Centre of Excellence for Applied Research and Training in Abu Dhabi.

Sports and Culture

Two countries rich in culture and sports tradition, the U.S. and the U.A.E. have established a number of meaningful partnerships designed to share culture. In 2006, Abu Dhabi leadership and the Guggenheim Museum in New York laid the foundations for a museum devoted entirely to modern and contemporary art. To increase the popularity of swimming in the U.A.E., the American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) and the U.A.E. Swimming Federation work together to improve the quality of swimmers and coaches in the U.A.E.

Business

With its fertile business climate and open economic policies, the U.A.E. represents an ideal overseas expansion location for American businesses. The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council, based in Washington, D.C., assumes responsibility for the expansion of commercial opportunities between businesses in the two nations. In recent years, MGM Mirage and Dubai World came to terms on a strategic partnership valued at $5 billion. Through a joint financial commitment of $100 million, Image Nation Abu Dhabi and National Geographic Entertainment plan to produce 15 documentaries and movies to be released in the next 5 years.

Health Care

Due to its status as a truly global concern, health care has earned a prominent location on the bilateral cooperation agendas of both the United States and the U.A.E. Through a strategic collaboration involving the U.S. State Department’s Middle East Partnership Initiative and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Susan G. Komen for the Cure has developed a number of programs designed to increase awareness of breast cancer and improve treatment outcomes. In 2004, Dubai Healthcare City and Partners Harvard Medical International teamed up to found the Harvard Medical School Dubai Center, which provides top-quality medical education, research, and health care delivery.

To learn more about the collaborative efforts of the United States and the United Arab Emirates, visit www.uae-embassy.org, which features news of Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba and his staff’s role in the international relations.

Crossing the Gap: UAE and Philadelphia Soccer Teams Collaborate

As part of a concerted effort to bring recognition to the people of the United Arab Emirates, UAE officials such as Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba and Lieutenant General Mohammed Al Kaabi, Chairman of the UAE Sports Committee, concentrate a great deal of time and resources on sporting events and teams. This past July, Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba and other UAE representatives were pleased by the city of Philadelphia’s warm reception of the UAE women’s soccer team during the team’s touring- and scrimmage-focused visit.

Philadelphia welcomed the female athletes during a special ceremony held at City Hall in honor of their visit. Each athlete received the opportunity to meet representatives from the mayor’s office, the Department of Legislative and Community Affairs, and the Parks and Recreation Department.

The importance of sports in bringing different cultures together was put into practice when the UAE team engaged the local Anderson Monarchs, an all-girls team made up of younger players, in a learning-oriented clinic. Sure enough, all players quickly bonded over their shared enthusiasm for the sport, teaching each other different techniques and running a variety of drills. Off the field, the team took time to visit sites considered pivotal to Philadelphia’s long history.

Thousands of miles may separate the people of the United Arab Emirates and the United States, but as the visit wound down, the UAE women’s soccer team and the Philadelphia natives felt closer due to their mutual respect for athleticism, soccer, and one another.

(Source: ambassadoryousefalotaiba.org)

Significant Points of Mutual Collaboration between the United Arab Emirates and the United States

As the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to the United States, Yousef Al Otaiba holds several responsibilities. Some of these duties include coordinating counter-proliferation activities with global allies, improving economic and other relationships between the UAE and the U.S., and contributing to the success of diplomatic endeavors that are designed to enhance regional security and defense cooperation.

One of the most important allies of the United States, the UAE provides several opportunities for economic growth, trade, security relations, and social and cultural ties. Another important aspect of the relationship between these two countries is the UAE’s continued support of peace in the region through its endorsement of a diplomatic solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The country’s endeavor to promote peace also includes the shipment of humanitarian supplies to citizens of Iraq, free medical treatment for Iraqi children in need, and training for the Iraqi police force in the UAE.

The UAE collaborates with the United States through significant economic and trade opportunities. The UAE is the largest export market in the Middle East for the U.S., with more than $11 billion in exports shipped to the country in 2010. In addition, every state in the U.S. ships goods to the UAE, and the currency of the UAE, the dirham, is pegged to the value of the U.S. dollar. Regarding security relations, the UAE was the first nation to support the U.S. during Desert Storm, and an official Defense Cooperation Agreement has existed since 1994. The UAE remains committed to fighting terrorism, and the government supports the U.S. forces that are deployed in the Middle East. As part of the UAE’s initiative to strengthen social and cultural ties with the U.S., the two countries engage in several other partnerships as well.

Yousef Al Otaiba and the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council

At the 2010 Annual Board of Directors Meeting of the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council, United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the United States Yousef Al Otaiba recognized Joseph E. Robert for his outstanding contributions to the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council through his work as the Founding Co-Chairman of the organization. Ambassador Al Otaiba also spoke about the significant work being accomplished by the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council toward the strengthening and improvement of the bilateral trade relationship between the U.A.E. and the U.S.

Inaugurated in 2007 by His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness the Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council works to build trade and business relationships between the two countries. In order to facilitate these partnerships, the organization provides members direct access to numerous important business contacts and governmental officials and actively strives to forge productive and long lasting alliances between the two governments in matters of economic import. As part of the organization’s program for improving trade relations, the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council supports a range of public policy advocacy initiatives in both countries and engages in efforts designed to maintain the continued attractiveness of both the U.S. and U.A.E. to foreign investment.

Currently, the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council is leading initiatives in six primary areas: commercial trade and foreign direct investment; infrastructure development and green building; energy development (renewable, nuclear, oil, and gas); medicine and education; aerospace, defense, security; and media, tourism and culture. Through the efforts of Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba and U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council leadership, the U.A.E. has grown to become the number one export market for the United States in the Middle East, and more than 750 U.S. corporations have maintained a presence in the U.A.E., including Exxon Mobil Corporation and Starbucks Corporation.

(Source: ambassadoryousefalotaiba.net)

Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba and the Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture

International diplomat and philanthropist Yousef Al Otaiba currently serves as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador to the United States of America, a position he assumed in 2008. In conjunction with the numerous political responsibilities he undertakes in his present role, Mr. Al Otaiba maintains a marked devotion to facilitating cultural understanding between the UAE and the United States, utilizing his influence to promote a wide variety of social initiatives.

Maintaining a laudable commitment to community development in the UAE and the United States, Mr. Al Otaiba assists in the management of the Oasis Foundation of Washington, D.C., an organization that sponsors a number of youth-oriented educational charities. Since its inception, the Oasis Foundation of Washington, D.C., has established itself as a leading advocate for the arts, providing fiscal support to groups such as Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture, a nonprofit entity that employs its resources to teach school-age children about Arabic culture.

Headquartered in Pennsylvania, Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture was founded by Hazami Sayed in 2003, initially operating as a two-week-long coeducational summer camp. Taking its name from the Arabic term for “the garden,” Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture prides itself on being an advocate for diversity and cross-cultural relations. Bringing together a visionary team of creative and scholastic instructors, Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture quickly expanded its offerings, growing to become one of the country’s leading proponents of Arabic art, music, and social tradition.

Today, Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture oversees a multifaceted program schedule on a year-round basis, providing children, families, and members of the general public with eclectic, uniquely immersive classes and workshops. Children who enroll in the Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture summer day camp garner access to a wealth of intellectual and artistic stimuli. Attracting youth from vastly differing socioeconomic, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, the Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture camp helps young participants improve their Arabic language skills, concurrently fostering a deep appreciation of the Arabic arts.

Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture also directs an Arabic music program in Philadelphia, offering courses to young and old alike. Other Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture classes include multi-week drama and storytelling workshops, as well as in-school and after-school projects that celebrate Arabic culture through participatory exploration. To learn more about the array of projects funded by the Oasis Foundation of Washington, D.C., visit www.oasisfoundationdc.org.