UAE and Egypt to strengthen bilateral economic relations

Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, led a high-level government delegation to Egypt as negotiations continue to secure a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the two nations.

Al Zeyoudi met with Hassan Al-Khatib, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Arab Republic of Egypt, to review the progress achieved by the two countries’ technical teams thus far. Both ministers expressed a strong commitment to further expand and deepen their bilateral economic relations.

The technical teams have been working on various chapters of a future CEPA, focusing on critical points such as product rules of origin, regulations for factories operating in free zones, trade in services, and digital commerce. The meeting marks a significant step towards enhancing economic collaboration between the UAE and Egypt.

In a statement, Al Zeyoudi stated, “Investing in our relationship with Egypt is crucial for both nations. A Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement will launch a new era of cooperation and collaboration, bringing mutual benefits and paving the way for increased trade, investment flows, and sustainable economic growth.”

In 2024, non-oil trade between the UAE and Egypt reached approximately $8.4 billion, reflecting a growth rate of 21 per cent compared to the previous year. The robust trade relationship underscores the importance of the UAE as Egypt’s leading trade partner in the GCC region and the wider Arab world. The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement aims to build on this foundation by further enhancing trade flows, private sector collaboration and investment opportunities across various sectors, particularly agriculture, manufacturing, and renewable energy.

The UAE’s CEPA programme aims to foster stronger economic ties and enhance trade relations with countries worldwide. Through the CEPA programme, the UAE is not only expanding its foreign trade but also cementing its position as a leading global trade hub.

With 31 CEPAs signed and 14 already in force, the CEPA programme reflects the UAE’s commitment to diversifying its economy and has played a crucial role in enhancing the UAE’s access to high-growth markets, contributing significantly to the UAE’s total trade that in 2024 reached an all-time high of $810 billion.

Meanwhile Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, revealed that negotiations on Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs) between the United Arab Emirates and both Japan and the European Union have reached advanced stages.

This step aims to open new avenues for trade and investment relations, strengthen economic ties, and enhance development partnerships in a way that supports economic prosperity and creates more opportunities for business communities.

In a statement to the Emirates News Agency, Dr. Al Zeyoudi said that the UAE continues CEPA negotiations with several countries of significant weight in the global economy and international trade, noting that negotiations with Japan and the European Union have made substantial progress, with the second round of talks scheduled for the second week of next December.

He added that negotiations with both Nigeria and the “Mercosur” bloc in Latin America have also reached advanced stages, expressing his hope for their completion in the coming weeks.

Al Zeyoudi explained that the UAE’s non-oil foreign trade continues to achieve record growth rates, with total non-oil trade exceeding Dhs2.67 trillion during the first nine months of 2025, marking a growth of 24.6% compared to the same period last year.

Meanwhile, non-oil trade figures for the third quarter of this year approached Dhs1 trillion for the first time in the nation’s history.

He noted that non-oil exports grew by more than 42 per cent during the first nine months of this year, while imports increased by 23 per cent and re-exports by 15 per cent, reflecting the strong diversification of the UAE’s foreign trade structure.

Al Zeyoudi pointed out that gold, diamonds, precious metals, aluminium, copper, and perfumes are among the key commodities that contributed to boosting the UAE’s trade with the world.

He affirmed the UAE’s commitment to diversifying its trade partners and entering comprehensive economic partnership agreements that bring mutual benefits.

He indicated that the agreements implemented for more than a year have yielded positive results, with trade growing by 19.4% with India, 16.6% with Turkey, 5.2% with Indonesia, 45% with Cambodia, and more than 100% with Costa Rica during the first nine months of 2025. He also noted that recent estimates by the World Trade Organisation indicate that global trade growth is expected to reach 2.4% by the end of this year, while the UAE has significantly surpassed these levels, reflecting the soundness of the economic and trade policies adopted by the country in recent years, which have positioned it as a global hub for exports, re-exports, industry, and investment.

WAM