The Marque The Marque

Yousef Al Otaiba

Ambassador of the UAE to the US

Embassy of the United Arab Emirates

Washington, DC, USA


Yousef Al Otaiba
Yakof Agius
Yakof Agius & Associates
Michael Alen-Buckley
RAB Capital Limited

Yousef Al Otaiba’s Biography

His Excellency Yousef Al Otaiba has served as the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to the United States (US) since his appointment to the UAE Embassy in Washington, DC, in 2008.

Throughout his tenure, Ambassador Al Otaiba has leveraged his role as the UAE’s most senior diplomat in Washington, DC, to advance the nation’s strategic interests and promote stronger ties with the US. Through the UAE USA United campaign, the Ambassador has assisted in advancing cultural understanding and economic cooperation between the two nations. In 2020, Ambassador Al Otaiba was a featured participant of UAE USA United’s 50 Years | 50 Faces project, which highlighted stories of collaboration between Emiratis and Americans, commemorating five decades of not only UAE-US partnership but friendship.

Yousef Al Otaiba has led initiatives in sectors such as healthcare, sustainable energy and education. By establishing connections with organizations such as the US-UAE Business Council, he has supported initiatives that create jobs, benefit businesses and support employees in both countries.

Under...
His Excellency Yousef Al Otaiba has served as the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to the United States (US) since his appointment to the UAE Embassy in Washington, DC, in 2008.

Throughout his tenure, Ambassador Al Otaiba has leveraged his role as the UAE’s most senior diplomat in Washington, DC, to advance the nation’s strategic interests and promote stronger ties with the US. Through the UAE USA United campaign, the Ambassador has assisted in advancing cultural understanding and economic cooperation between the two nations. In 2020, Ambassador Al Otaiba was a featured participant of UAE USA United’s 50 Years | 50 Faces project, which highlighted stories of collaboration between Emiratis and Americans, commemorating five decades of not only UAE-US partnership but friendship.

Yousef Al Otaiba has led initiatives in sectors such as healthcare, sustainable energy and education. By establishing connections with organizations such as the US-UAE Business Council, he has supported initiatives that create jobs, benefit businesses and support employees in both countries.

Under his leadership, the UAE became the largest export market for US goods in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Over four US administrations, he has advanced defense, armed forces and security alignment, addressing regional challenges. 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 National Defense University, Ambassador Al Otaiba graduated in 2000 and continues to be a central figure in strengthening UAE-US relations while championing social and cultural causes.
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Yousef Al Otaiba’s Background

Embassy of the United Arab Emirates
Ambassador of the UAE to the US
Jul 2008 - Present
Washington, DC, USA
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.
 
Government of the United Arab Emirates
Minister of State
2017 - Present
Washington, DC, USA
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.
 
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Yousef Al Otaiba’s Gallery

Current Board Positions

Harvard Kennedy School Center for Public Leadership
Leadership Council
Cambridge, MA, USA
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.
 
Special Olympics
Board of Directors
Washington, DC, USA
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.
 
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Previous Board Positions

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Member | Global Polio Eradication Initiative
2011 - 2024
Washington, DC, USA
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.
 
EastWest Institute
Board of Directors
New York, NY, USA
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.
 

Media

Yousef Al Otaiba Highlights the UAE-US Bilateral Relationship
Video
Apr 2023
Ambassador of the UAE to the US, Yousef Al Otaiba, highlights the progress and success seen through UAE-US collaborations over many years.
 
Yousef Al Otaiba
Washington, DC, USA
On his website, Yousef shares insights, media, news and information about his philanthropic endeavors in one extensively curated space.
 
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Interviews

A new center in Abu Dhabi focuses on coexistence
Jun 2023
New York, NY, USA
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.
 
50 Years | 50 Faces Campaign Spotlights Yousef Al Otaiba
Nov 2021
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.
 
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Features

Yousef Al-Otaiba Is The Most Powerful Man in Washington You've Never Heard Of - The Huffington Post
2015
Yousef Al Otaiba, Ambassador of the UAE to the US, has worked to strengthen ties between the UAE and the US throughout his career. This feature highlights Al Otaiba’s contributions to various organizations around Washington, DC and his role in the US political landscape.
 
Amb. Yousef Al Otaiba deserves a Nobel Peace Prize
Sep 2021
Washington, DC, USA
This feature highlights Yousef Al Otaiba's diplomatic career, notably his role in facilitating the Abraham Accords.
 
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Publications

AI’s Future Is Being Forged by the US and the UAE
Author
Apr 2024
Washington, DC, USA
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.
 
Forging the Future of AI Together: UAE-US Advanced Technology Cooperation
Contributor
Apr 2024
Washington, DC, USA
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.
 
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Memberships

Center for Public Leadership | Harvard Kennedy School
Member
Boston, MA, USA
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.
 
Meridian International Center
Supporter
Washington, DC, USA
Meridian is a nonpartisan, nonprofit diplomacy center that links leaders through culture and collaboration to drive global solutions.
 
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Awards & Recognition

2024 Inaugural Meridian Global Leadership Award for Space Diplomacy
Apr 2024
Washington, DC, 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.
 
100 Most Influential People of 2020: Yousef Al Otaiba
Honoree
Sep 2020
New York, NY, USA
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.
 
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Specialist Courses

Georgetown University
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.
 

Speaking Engagements

CAIS24 Cayman Alternative Investment Summit
Speaker
Jan 2024
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.
 
Venture funding in the UAE: Evaluating the gender gap and the role of women-specific programs
Panelist
Jul 2023
Washington, DC, USA
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.
 
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Charitable Interests

Goodwill Fund: King Hussein Cancer Center
Amman, JO
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 logo Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation logo
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.
 
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Community Engagement

NYU Abu Dhabi
Commencement Speaker
Abu Dhabi, AE
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.
 
County officials and McLean Youth Soccer celebrate opening of newly converted Holladay Field
Tysons, VA, USA
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.
 
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Press Releases

UAE Embassy in Washington, DC Hosts Annual Interfaith Iftar; Ambassador Highlights UAE's Commitment to Tolerance, Religious Diversity in UAE
May 2019
Abu Dhabi, AE
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.
 
UAE Embassy in Washington DC Celebrates Nation’s 50th National Day
Dec 2021
Washington, DC, USA
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.
 
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