Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are preparing to formally join a U.S.-led initiative designed to secure artificial intelligence and semiconductor supply chains, a move that highlights how access to advanced technology is rapidly becoming a central pillar of global economic and geopolitical strategy.
Jacob Helberg, the U.S. undersecretary of state for economic affairs, told Reuters that both Gulf states will soon sign onto the initiative, known as Pax Silica, expanding a coalition that already includes Israel, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Britain, and Australia. Qatar is expected to sign the declaration on January 12, followed by the UAE on January 15.
The expansion is notable not only for the countries involved but also for what it represents. Pax Silica is part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to reshape alliances around technology, supply chains, and industrial capacity rather than traditional military arrangements. In Washington’s view, semiconductors, AI models, data centers, and the minerals that feed them are now as strategically sensitive as oil pipelines or naval chokepoints once were.
“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.”
At its core, Pax Silica seeks to safeguard the entire technology value chain. That includes securing access to critical minerals, strengthening advanced manufacturing and chip fabrication, coordinating computing and data infrastructure, and protecting digital and physical assets from disruption or coercion. U.S. officials say the initiative is meant to reduce dependence on rival nations, particularly China, while tightening cooperation among countries that already play outsized roles in global technology markets.
But the inclusion of Qatar and the UAE carries added weight because of the Middle East’s complex political landscape. The initiative effectively brings Israel and Gulf states into the same technology-focused economic framework, building on the gradual normalization of ties and shared strategic interests that have emerged in recent years. U.S. officials see this as a way to anchor cooperation around practical economic projects, rather than abstract political commitments.
Unlike traditional alliances, Pax Silica is deliberately structured as what Helberg described as a “coalition of capabilities.” Membership is driven by what each country can contribute, whether that is manufacturing expertise, capital, logistics hubs, data infrastructure, or regulatory frameworks. The approach reflects a belief in Washington that flexible, project-driven groupings are better suited to fast-moving technology competition than rigid treaty-based alliances.
For Qatar and the UAE, joining Pax Silica aligns with long-standing efforts to diversify their economies away from hydrocarbons. Both countries have invested heavily in digital infrastructure, cloud services, and artificial intelligence, positioning themselves as regional hubs for data centers and advanced computing. By joining a U.S.-led technology bloc, they gain deeper integration into global supply chains and closer ties to American and allied firms at a time when technology standards and access are becoming increasingly politicized.
Helberg said the initiative could help accelerate that transition. “For the UAE and Qatar, this marks a shift from a hydrocarbon-centric security architecture to one focused on silicon statecraft,” he said, underpinning how technology is now being framed as a core component of national security and economic resilience.
The timing of the move is closely linked to the Future Minerals Forum, a Saudi Arabia-hosted conference in Riyadh from January 13 to 15 that will bring together senior officials, mining companies, technology firms, and investors. Critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earths are essential inputs for chips, batteries, and AI hardware, and securing reliable access to them has become a top priority for governments seeking to insulate their economies from supply shocks.
Helberg said Pax Silica will focus this year on expanding its membership, launching concrete strategic projects, and coordinating policies to protect critical infrastructure and sensitive technologies. The group met in Washington last month and is expected to convene several times in 2026 as it shifts from declarations to implementation.
Among the projects under discussion are efforts to modernize trade and logistics routes using advanced U.S. technology. One area of focus is the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor, which Washington views as both an economic and strategic alternative to existing trade routes. U.S. officials believe integrating advanced digital systems, automation, and secure data flows into such corridors could boost regional integration while expanding America’s economic footprint.
The United States and Israel are also preparing to launch a Pax Silica-linked Strategic Framework, which will include the development of “Fort Foundry One,” an industrial park in Israel aimed at accelerating advanced manufacturing and technology projects. Artificial intelligence cooperation is expected to feature prominently, with a memorandum of understanding tentatively planned for January 16 to deepen collaboration on AI development, deployment, and safeguards.
However, some analysts believe the initiative is about more than protecting supply chains for Washington. It is seen as an attempt to shape a new economic order in which access to chips, computing power, data infrastructure, and the minerals that underpin them is coordinated among trusted partners. This is expected to reduce vulnerabilities while reinforcing U.S. influence in the technologies that will define economic growth, security, and competitiveness in the decades ahead.
