President Biden on Monday designated the United Arab Emirates a “major defense partner” as the U.S. seeks to deepen military cooperation in the Middle East, East Africa and Indian Ocean regions. The White House said in a statement this would facilitate “joint training, exercises, and military-to-military collaboration” between the U.S. and UAE armed forces. The UAE is only the second nation to receive such designation, after India.

The announcement came as Biden met with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and despite mounting concerns over the UAE’s backing of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which has been accused of massive rights abuses along with the Sudanese military, in the country’s devastating civil war.