US reimposes tariffs on UAE aluminium imports

US President Joe Biden yesterday reimposed tariffs on aluminium imports from the United Arab Emirates, reversing a last-minute decision by his predecessor, Donald Trump.

The ten per cent tariff will remain in place for national-security reasons, the White House announced on Monday. “In my view, the available evidence indicates that imports from the UAE may still displace domestic production, and thereby threaten to impair our national security,” Biden said.

One hour before the end of his presidential term on 20 January, Trump issued exemption for the UAE from a ten per cent tariff on aluminium imports to the US. The move came after the UAE agreed last year to establish diplomatic relations with Israel.

Biden’s decision comes hours after recent statements by the Emirati Ambassador to the US, Yousef Al-Otaiba, which described the suspension of the American arms deal to his country as a “routine matter”.

“Everything is still proceeding while undergoing a review at the same time. I am confident it will end up in the right place,” Otaiba was quoted by Reuters as saying. But Washington has said that the deal would be suspended until a plan on halting the Yemen war is presented.