The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has taken another decisive step in its ambition to shape the future of global technology and economic security by signing the Pax Silica Declaration, marking a historic milestone for regional and international economic integration.

The move underscores the UAE’s growing influence as a strategic technology partner and its determination to lead in artificial intelligence (AI), advanced infrastructure and secure digital ecosystems.

The UAE’s accession to the Pax Silica Declaration was formally signed by US under secretary of state for economic affairs Jacob Helberg and UAE minister of state Saeed Bin Mubarak Al Hajeri.

With this signature, the UAE becomes the ninth signatory to Pax Silica, joining a select group of technologically advanced and strategically aligned nations, including Australia, Israel, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Qatar, Singapore and the UK. India is expected to join the coalition as a signatory next month, further expanding its global reach.

Pax Silica represents a new kind of economic security alliance, purpose-built for the AI age. For the first time, countries are organising around compute, silicon, critical minerals and energy as shared strategic assets. These pillars form the backbone of modern digital economies, and are essential to the development, deployment and scaling of AI technologies.

The inclusion of the UAE reflects its emergence as an indispensable partner in this coalition. Over the past decade, the country has positioned itself at the intersection of energy leadership, global investment and technological innovation.

Its long-term national strategies, such as the UAE Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031 and the broader Centennial 2071 vision, demonstrate a clear commitment to leveraging advanced technologies to drive economic diversification, productivity and sustainable growth.

Under the Pax Silica framework, the US and the UAE have reaffirmed their commitment to jointly pursue multilayered partnerships across the global technology stack. These partnerships will focus on strengthening supply chain security, advancing the adoption of trusted technology ecosystems, and building resilience against geopolitical and economic disruptions.

Key areas of cooperation under exploration include next-generation connectivity, and edge infrastructure such as 6G, high-performance computing and datacentres, advanced manufacturing, logistics, mineral refining and processing, and energy systems.

For the UAE, these focus areas align closely with its existing priorities. The country has made significant investments in hyperscale datacentres, cloud infrastructure and sovereign compute capabilities to support AI workloads at scale. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have both emerged as regional hubs for datacentres and digital services, supported by strong regulatory frameworks, robust cyber security standards and access to reliable energy.

Energy, in particular, remains a strategic advantage for the UAE in the Pax Silica coalition. As a global energy leader actively transitioning towards renewables and clean energy, the UAE is uniquely positioned to support the energy-intensive demands of AI and advanced computing. Its investments in solar, nuclear and low-carbon technologies reinforce its ability to provide stable, scalable and sustainable power for datacentres and advanced manufacturing facilities.

The UAE’s commitment to building a world-class, secure AI ecosystem also extends beyond infrastructure. The country has focused on talent development, research and international collaboration, hosting leading AI research institutions and fostering partnerships between government, academia and the private sector.

By prioritising trusted and responsible AI, the UAE aims to strike a balance between innovation and security, ethics, and long-term societal impact. For the Middle East, the UAE’s participation signals the region’s growing role in shaping the future of global technology governance and economic security.

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