UAE, Italy to strengthen trade and investment collaboration

Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, met with the Italian Business Council in the UAE to discuss strategies for increasing trade, investment, and private sector collaboration between the two countries. The meeting underscored the UAE’s commitment to strengthening its economic ties with Italy, a key partner within the European Union.

During the discussions, Al Zeyoudi emphasised the importance of the UAE-Italy economic relationship and Italynoted the substantial growth in trade between the two countries, with non-oil bilateral trade reaching $14 billion in 2024-a significant increase of 19.7 per cent from 2023 and a 22.2 per cent rise since 2022. In the first half of 2025, bilateral trade amounted to $7.9 billion, marking a 14.6 per cent year-on-year increase compared to H1 2024 and a 12.3 per cent rise from H2 2024. In 2024, Italy stood as the UAE’s leading partner in non-oil trade among EU countries and 12th globally, making up 1.7 of its total global trade.

“The UAE is committed to further enhancing our economic partnership with Italy which has witnessed non-oil trade flows increase at a consistent rate over the last five years,” Al Zeyoudi stated. “Today’s discussions focused on expanding avenues for private sector collaboration that will be mutually beneficial. We are particularly eager to explore projects in technology, renewable energy, healthcare, and infrastructure that can drive growth for both our nations.”

Reflecting on the significance of the meeting, Al Zeyoudi remarked, “By working together, we continue to unlock new opportunities that not only drive economic growth but also contribute to the sustainable development of both our nations.”

The meeting served as a platform to discuss various ongoing initiatives and agreements aimed at leveraging the existing trade and investment framework for mutual benefit. Al Zeyoudi emphasised the importance of investing in sustainable and innovative projects that create jobs and generate lasting economic value in both countries. The UAE’s relationship with Italy has been on a positive trajectory, with both nations keen on fostering partnerships that lead to sustainable growth and technological advancements.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to further explore collaborative projects that will enhance trade relations and economic ties between the UAE and Italy, paving the way for a prosperous future for both countries.

Meanwhile Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, met with the Indian Business Council in the UAE to explore avenues for strengthening economic ties and private sector collaboration between the two countries.

The meeting is part of ongoing efforts to further leverage the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that entered in to force in 2022, which has been instrumental in significantly deepening bilateral trade and investment.

In the meeting, Al Zeyoudi underscored the importance of India as a trading partner, noting that non-oil trade between the UAE and India reached $65 billion in 2024, which reflected a robust growth of 19.7 per cent compared to the previous year.

“India is an essential partner in the UAE’s trade landscape,” Al Zeyoudi stated. “Today’s discussions were centered on maximizing the benefits of our CEPA to foster deeper collaboration between our vibrant private sectors.”

The CEPA with India, which came into force in May 2022, was the first signed with any country as part of the UAE’s ambitious foreign trade programme. It has been pivotal in discovering synergies and unlocking new opportunities in trade and investment across various sectors, including agricultural production, renewable energy and logistics. The agreement has significantly boosted private sector collaboration between the two nations.

Reflecting on the progress made since the CEPA was signed, Al Zeyoudi highlighted several recent key initiatives that underscore the shared commitment to mutually beneficial growth and opportunity: “Since the beginning of this year, our nations have come together to launch the India-UAE Start-Up Series, which helps entrepreneurs access each other’s markets. We have also begun work on Bharat Mart, a significant complex in the UAE aimed at enabling Indian manufacturers and exporters to reach global markets. Additionally, we are enhancing cross-border payment processes and integrating payment systems, and we have launched the UAE-India CEPA Council to ensure we fully leverage the opportunities in front of us.”

The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement has already delivered significant results in strengthening UAE-India economic ties since its entry into force. By reducing trade barriers and enhancing investment flows, the positive impact of the CEPA agreement is evident in the substantial growth of bilateral trade, solidifying the UAE and India’s positions as vital trade partners in the global market.

WAM