Qatar and UAE to join U.S.-led effort to bolster technology supply chain

Qatar and UAE to officially join ‘Pax Silica’ within days Initiative aims to move the Middle East toward a tech-driven economy. U.S. and Israel to launch ‘Fort Foundry One’ and a tentative AI memorandum on January 16. By Jarrett Renshaw Jan 11 (Reuters) - Qatar and the United Arab Emirates will soon join a U.S.-led initiative to secure AI and semiconductor supply chains, Undersecretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg told Reuters in an interview. The addition of those two countries is notable given the Middle East’s history of political divisions and reflects a U.S.-led effort to bring Israel and Gulf states into the same technology-focused economic framework. The program, dubbed Pax Silica, seeks to safeguard the full technology supply chain, including critical minerals, advanced manufacturing, computing and data infrastructure. It is a key pillar of the Trump administration’s economic statecraft strategy to reduce dependence on rival nations and strengthen cooperation among allied partners. “The Silicon Declaration isn’t just a diplomatic communiqué,” Helberg said. “It’s meant to be an operational document for a new economic security consensus.” The group including Israel, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Britain and Australia. Qatar is expected to sign the Pax Silica declaration on Jan. 12, followed by the UAE on Jan. 15. Unlike traditional alliances, Helberg said, Pax Silica is a “coalition of capabilities,” with membership driven by the industrial strengths and companies of each country. Helberg said he hopes the initiative can help accelerate the Middle East’s economic transition away from energy dependence, toward a more diversified, technology-driven economy. “For the UAE and Qatar, this marks a shift from a hydrocarbon-centric security architecture to one focused on silicon statecraft,” he said, The moves come against the backdrop of The Future Minerals Forum, a government-led global minerals and supply chain conference hosted by Saudi Arabia that will bring together senior officials, industry leaders and investors in Riyadh from January 13-15. Helberg said the Pax Silica group will focus this year on expanding membership, building strategic projects to secure supply chains and coordinating policies to protect critical infrastructure and technology. The group met in Washington last month. Helberg said he hopes it will meet a few times this year. He said discussions are under way on projects that could modernize trade and logistics routes, including the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor, using advanced U.S. technology to boost regional integration and expand America’s economic footprint. U.S. and Israeli officials plan to launch a Pax Silica-linked Strategic Framework, including the “Fort Foundry One” industrial park in Israel to accelerate projects. AI cooperation will also be discussed, with a memorandum of understanding tentatively planned for January 16.