16-05-2025
Timeframe: When George W Bush played with falcons in Abu Dhabi
Seventeen years ago, before Donald Trump's Abu Dhabi trip, George W Bush became the first US President to make a state visit to the UAE. The trip, in January 2008, became a cornerstone for relations between the two countries. Besides high-profile meetings, the 43rd US president also took time to head to the UAE desert for dinner during his two-day trip. A lavish traditional desert tent was set up for him in Sweihan, an agricultural town in Abu Dhabi's Al Ain region. There, he was joined by President Sheikh Mohamed, who was then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE armed forces, as well as Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai. Then US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice was at the dinner, as was Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, who was UAE Minister of Foreign Trade at the time. Ditching his suit for a more casual aviator jacket to ward off the seasonal chill – it rained heavily during his visit – Bush was photographed interacting with falcons, an integral part of Emirati life, as Sheikh Mohamed looked on. In one picture, the US president can be seen holding a falcon up by its perch. Bush was also shown a model of the Saadiyat Island project, where three great museums, Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Zayed National Museum and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi were to be built. Louvre Abu Dhabi opened in 2017 and the other two highly-anticipated attractions are due to be completed this year. Saadiyat Island is also home to the Abrahamic Family House, the landmark which features a mosque, church and synagogue visited by President Trump this week. On the second day of his visit, Bush travelled to Dubai, where the traffic was eased by the declaration of a public holiday. Several main routes in the city, including the busy Sheikh Zayed Road, were closed off to the public to ensure the US president's motorcade could travel freely. Bush was driven to several Dubai landmarks, beginning with the house of the late Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum at Shindagha, where he was treated to a colourful reception of cultural music and dances. He also visited the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding in Al Bastakiya, where he was briefed about the programmes and activities of the centre, and met members of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Programme for Leadership Development. In the evening, he headed to Burj Al Arab where he dined with a number of young Arab leaders.
