- Dangote Meets Trump
By Abiola Olawale
United States President Donald Trump arrived in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday marking the final leg of his high-stakes Middle East tour. The visit to Qatar also afforded Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote the opportunity of joining others in meeting with Trump. It was meet and greet handshake meeting.
It was gathered that the visit is part of a three-nation Gulf trip that began in Saudi Arabia.
Touching down at Abu Dhabi International Airport, Trump was greeted by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, accompanied by a military hohonouruard and a ceremonial presentation of flowers.
The warm reception set the stage for a packed agenda, with Trump touring the iconic Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, one of the world’s largest.
In a statement, the White House emphasized the visit’s goal of deepening US-UAE ties, building on decades of cooperation in defence, technology, and trade.
“President Trump looks forward to historic discussions that promote commerce and regional stability,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
The New Diplomat reports that Trump’s arrival in the UAE follows a successful stop in Doha, Qatar, where he and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani signed multibillion-dollar agreements.
These included a $200 billion deal for Qatar Airways to purchase 160 Boeing jets and a $10 billion investment in the Al Udeid Air Base, the largest US military facility in the Middle East.
Defence purchases worth $42 billion were also announced, reinforcing Qatar’s role as a critical US security partner.
In the UAE, Trump is expected to focus on investment opportunities in artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, energy, and manufacturing.
