The UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain have joined a group of 35 nations in signing a Joint Statement on AI Opportunities at the second Pax Silica Summit in Washington D.C. The summit, held on June 25th and 26th, brought together US-allied countries and major tech firms to build trusted supply chains and secure infrastructure for artificial intelligence. The move signals a deeper integration of the Gulf nations into the core of global AI development and governance.
Quick Facts
- 35 nations signed the summit’s joint statement.
- UAE and Qatar formally joined the alliance this year.
- Pact focuses on physical AI infrastructure and components.
UAE’s Proactive Stance on AI Governance
The UAE delegation was led by Minister of State H.E. Saeed bin Mubarak Al Hajeri and included representatives from Abu Dhabi’s AI holding company G42, its subsidiary Core42, AI investor MGX, and the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA).
The UAE has been an early and active member of the alliance, working to influence the treaty’s rules around supply chains and trusted AI stacks. During the summit, the UAE proposed an enhanced assurance platform for Pax Silica, designed to offer verifiable visibility into the location, control, and authorized use of advanced US-origin AI semiconductors.
This platform, built on G42’s Regulated Technology Environment, uses cryptographic token-level tracking rather than periodic audits to monitor technology use and is being presented as a potential blueprint for other partner countries.
What the Joint Statement Entails
The multilateral AI framework is notable for its focus beyond policy principles, extending to physical infrastructure, critical minerals, energy, compute power, and semiconductors.
Signatories committed to pro-innovation AI regulation, joint research and development, and cooperation on trusted semiconductor supply chains. The countries also agreed to explore jointly exporting AI technology stacks and to expand access to AI compute and next-generation data centers. The statement also aims to facilitate cross-border venture capital flows and R&D partnerships to support AI entrepreneurs across the signatory nations.
Bahrain and Qatar Solidify Commitments
While Qatar and the UAE joined the Pax Silica alliance earlier this year, Bahrain’s involvement was formalized at the summit. Bahrain’s Ambassador to the U.S., Shaikh Abdullah bin Rashid Al Khalifa, signed the joint statement, signaling the Kingdom’s commitment, although it has not yet been formally admitted into the alliance.
During the event, the UAE delegation also held bilateral meetings with the US and other Pax Silica members, including Qatar, Finland, India, Israel, the European Union, South Korea, and the UK, to discuss further cooperation.
About Pax Silica
Pax Silica is a US-led multilateral pact focused on building secure and trusted supply chains for advanced AI technologies and their core components. The alliance brings together allied nations and technology companies to collaborate on physical infrastructure, minerals, energy, compute power, and semiconductors, in addition to establishing shared AI policy principles.
Source: Middle East AI News
