Dubai: US President Donald Trump and his administration see the UAE a critical partner in the fight against Daesh, a senior State Department official said on Tuesday.
Richard L. Buangan |
“Our leaders are engaging with each other,” said Richard Buangan, managing director for international media at the US State Department.
The UAE “has a been partner, and they’ve been very much a critical part of the global coalition,” the diplomat told Gulf News on the sidelines of the Arab Media Forum in Dubai on Tuesday.
Its role was “recognized by the new leadership, from Secretary [of State Rex] Tillerson to President Trump,” he added.
Launched in 2014 by the Obama administration, the anti-Daesh coalition saw several US allies work to stem the flow of foreign fighters to Iraq and Syria.
Several countries, including the UK, France, Australia UAE and Saudi Arabia, carried out airstrikes against the group. Russia and Iran, who have propped up Syrian President Bashar Al Assad’s regime, are not members.
A year later, the coalition appeared to falter as many member states appeared to lose interest.
But under the Trump administration, the faltering coalition seems to have received a boost. The White House has declared the defeat of ISIS its top priority in the Middle East.
In March, US top diplomat Tillerson called on envoys from 68 member states gathered in Washington for new ideas to fight Daesh.
“The UAE is very much a valuable partner in playing an incredible role to help us,” said Buangan. “I would very much say they are a leader in the global coalition.”
