Sheikh Khaled, leaders of EAEU member states discuss trade ties in Belarus

On behalf of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has attended the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting, held on Friday at the Palace of Independence in Minsk, Belarus.

The meeting brought together heads of state and government from the member countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), chaired by President Alexander Lukashenko of the Republic of Belarus. The United Arab Emirates participated as a guest of honour alongside leaders from invited nations including Uzbekistan, Cuba, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Mongolia, Zimbabwe and Myanmar.

 During the meeting, Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed delivered the UAE’s address, conveying the greetings of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to the participating heads of state and government, along with best wishes for the success of the summit and continued prosperity for the peoples of the EAEU member states.

Sheikh Khaled also expressed his appreciation to President Alexander Lukashenko for the warm welcome and hospitality and for inviting the UAE to participate in the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting hosted by the Republic of Belarus.

 He reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to strengthening its relations with the member states of the EAEU and to advancing together towards new horizons of shared growth and economic partnership. He underscored the importance of fostering closer cooperation to generate greater trade and investment opportunities for both sides.

 The Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting was attended by Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation; Alexander Lukashenko, President of the Republic of Belarus; Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan; and Sadyr Japarov, President of the Kyrgyz Republic.

 Also in attendance were representatives of Observer States to the EAEU: Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, President of the Republic of Cuba; Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan; in addition to representatives of invited countries: Min Aung Hlaing, Prime Minister of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; Laureano Ortega Murillo, Advisor to the Co-Presidents of the Republic of Nicaragua for Investment, Trade, and International Cooperation; and Nyam-Osoryn Uchral, First Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia, Minister of Economy and Development of Mongolia.

During the meeting, Sheikh Khaled and leaders of the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union witnessed the exchange of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the Eurasian Economic Union that aims to eliminate trade barriers and unlock opportunities in vital sectors, including renewable energy, logistics and construction services.

Sheikh Khaled highlighted that the agreement marks a significant milestone in UAE-EAEU relations, serving as a catalyst to further increase trade volumes and unlock new avenues of economic cooperation.

 He underscored that the UAE, through the EPA, aims to strengthen ties between business communities, investors and entrepreneurs across UAE and EAEU member states, laying a foundation for robust economic cooperation while reflecting the depth of friendship and constructive collaboration binding the UAE and the EAEU member nations.

 The agreement is expected to further enhance private-sector collaboration, strengthen supply chains, and empower entrepreneurs and SMEs to expand their operations globally.

 Building on years of economic cooperation, bilateral non-oil trade between the UAE and EAEU nations grew by 27 per cent in 2024 to reach US$29 billion, while trade between the two partners witnessed a fourfold increase since 2021.

 The EPA was signed by Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade; Mher Grigoryan, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia; Natalia Petkevitch, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus; Serik Zhumangarin, Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Daniyar Amangeldiev, First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic; Alexey Overchuk, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation; and Bakytzhan Sagintayev, Chairman of the Eurasian Economic Commission Board.

WAM