MOU on AI Diplomacy: Building a New Regional Bridge

HIT and the UK Abraham Accords Group signed a landmark MOU at the British Ambassador’s residence to advance AI collaboration between Israel, the UK, and Abraham Accords nations.

HIT and the UK Abraham Accords Group

The Holon Institute of Technology (HIT) and the UK Abraham Accords Group (UKAAG) signed today a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the residence of the British Ambassador to Israel, strengthening cooperation between Israel, the UK, and the Abraham Accords countries on Artificial Intelligence.

The UK Abraham Accords Group is a British non-partisan organization, committed to ensuring the United Kingdom is actively supporting the Abraham Accords process and advancing its expansion to other countries, to build stronger ties in trade, culture, and religious tolerance.

The MOU builds on joint research identifying opportunities for AI-driven regional collaboration in health, energy, education, and governance. A particular focus will be placed on responsible AI principles, building professional training programs, and developing regional standards and best practices. During the ceremony, Hadas Lorber and Matthew Davies presented the research insights, shared vision, and roadmap for regional AI cooperation. While Shahd Asfour, the Tech Policy Lead at the British Embassy emphasized the strength in “soft power” tools such as Tech diplomacy to foster dialogues.

British Ambassador Simon Walters welcomed the initiative, highlighting the UK’s commitment to responsible technological innovation and its role as a trusted convener.

“ The UK’s position as one of the top global powers, recognized for research ethics and innovation, provides an opportunity to deepen the Abraham Accords as a trusted partner throughout the Middle East; Leveraging UK diplomatic and tech assets can lead successful regional collaboration on emerging technologies, bringing stability, prosperity, and long-term cooperation across the region”. HIT President Prof. Eduard Yakubov noted:
"This partnership positions HIT at the center of a regional effort to build practical AI solutions that improve lives and shape the technological future of the Middle East. We are proud to join hands with the UK and the Abraham Accords partners in shaping this vision.”

Mr. Matthew Davies, Director of Policy at UKAAG, emphasized the growing importance of technological diplomacy: "AI Diplomacy is emerging as a new engine of regional cooperation. Through this MOU, we are turning research into action and building a framework for concrete projects between the UK, Israel, and the Abraham Accords countries. Promoting multilateral AI cooperation through tech diplomacy would represent a new confidence, energy, and coherency in British foreign policy in the Middle East.”

Mrs. Hadas Lorber, Head of the Institute for Applied Research in Responsible AI at HIT, added: 
"This collaboration represents a new form of diplomacy - grounded in knowledge, shared responsibility, and technological ambition. Our research shows that by uniting the UK’s strength in AI security, Israel’s innovation capabilities, and the forward-looking vision of the Abraham Accords countries, we can build a practical and responsible framework for meaningful regional progress."