Harris to head delegation to UAE following the death of its president

by Caroline Vakil - 05/14/22 2:22 PM ET

Vice President Harris will lead a presidential delegation to the United Arab Emirates on Monday, following the death of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Friday, the White House announced.

Harris will travel to the UAE to “offer condolences on behalf of the Biden-Harris Administration and the American people on the passing of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan,” Harris’s press secretary Kirsten Allen said in a statement.

“She will meet with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates. In addition to honoring the memory and the legacy of Sheikh Khalifa, the Vice President will underscore the strength of the partnership between our countries and our desire to further deepen our ties in the coming months and years,” Allen added.

Axios was the first to report that Harris would be leading a delegation to the UAE following Khalifa’s death. Two sources with direct knowledge told the news outlet the delegation was also slated to include Secretary of State Antony Blinken, CIA director Bill Burns and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, among others.

The Biden administration is “not in a position to confirm delegation members at this time. More information on the delegation accompanying the Vice President will be forthcoming,” a senior administration official told the news outlet ahead of the announcement.

The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.

In a statement earlier on Saturday, President Biden congratulated the new UAE president, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, following his election by the country’s Federal Supreme Council, calling him a “long-time friend.”

“The UAE is an essential partner of the United States. Sheikh Mohammed, whom I met with several times as Vice President when he was the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has long been at the forefront of building this partnership,” he said. “I look forward to working with Sheikh Mohammed to build from this extraordinary foundation to further strengthen the bonds between our countries and peoples.”