Chilean President receives Al Zeyoudi, stresses importance of trade with UAE

President of the Republic of Chile José Antonio Kast received Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, and an accompanying delegation at the Presidential Palace in Santiago, in the presence of Mohammed Al Neyadi, UAE Ambassador to Chile.

At the start of the meeting, Al Zeyoudi conveyed to President Kast the greetings of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai; and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, along with their congratulations on his assumption of office and their wishes for continued progress and prosperity for the Republic of Chile and its people.

President Kast welcomed the UAE delegation and conveyed his greetings to the UAE leadership, along with his wishes for its continued progress and prosperity. He expressed his country’s appreciation for the strong bilateral relationship and his aspiration to strengthen and develop it across areas of common interest, particularly trade and investment.

President Kast praised the UAE’s role in promoting global peace, tolerance and coexistence, stressing that its approach to dialogue, partnership-building and international cooperation has made it a global model for supporting security and stability.

He also commended the UAE’s efforts to build bridges between peoples and support initiatives aimed at advancing peace and sustainable development in ways that enhance global stability and prosperity.

The two sides discussed ways to deepen joint cooperation across sectors of common interest, particularly trade and investment, reflecting the growing strategic partnership between the UAE and Chile and their shared commitment to advancing it to broader horizons.

Both sides stressed the importance of building on the momentum in trade and investment relations and their shared determination to broaden horizons in ways that serve the common interests of both countries.

As part of ‘UAE Trade Days’, Al Zeyoudi led a high-level Emirati delegation - comprising government officials, business leaders and representatives of Emirati companies – and held a series of meetings with senior government officials, investors and private sector representatives, including Martín Arrau, Minister of Public Security; Ximena Rincón, Minister of Energy; Patricio Torres Espinosa, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Paula Estevez, Undersecretary for International Economic Relations; Alvaro González Gorroño, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Mines; Rodrigo Yáñez, Vice President of the Confederation of Chilean Industries; Ignacio Fernández, Director of the Brotcelli Authority; and Juan Pablo Candia, Director of the Chilean Investment Promotion Authority.

The meetings focused on strengthening investment and trade cooperation and identifying opportunities across vital sectors, including renewable energy, agriculture, technology, mining and infrastructure, reflecting the UAE’s commitment to empowering the private sector to drive joint economic development and create new opportunities for growth and prosperity.

The visit also featured a roundtable bringing together investors and business leaders from the UAE and Chile to explore trade and investment opportunities in priority sectors on both sides, as well as prospects for strengthening private sector partnerships to support investment flows, boost bilateral trade, and promote sustainable economic development.

Al Zeyoudi affirmed the UAE’s commitment to deepening its strategic partnership with Chile in support of both countries’ sustainable development goals, noting that the UAE-Chile Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) represents a solid platform for enhancing economic cooperation and opening new horizons for the private sector in both countries.

“Chile is an important partner for the UAE in Latin America, and our discussions underscored the importance of leveraging the opportunities presented by the CEPA to increase trade exchange and expand mutual investment in ways that support economic growth and sustainable prosperity for both countries,” said Al Zeyoudi.

He noted that the CEPA has ushered in a new phase of economic relations between the two sides, providing broader partnership opportunities across vital sectors including renewable energy, agriculture, tourism and infrastructure. He added that non-oil trade between the UAE and Chile has grown strongly in recent years, rising 45.6 per cent in 2025 to reach $392.6 million.

The visit forms part of the UAE’s efforts to expand its network of economic partnerships worldwide through the CEPA programme, which since its launch in 2021 has resulted in the conclusion of multiple agreements in support of the country’s goals of promoting sustainable trade and investment and consolidating its position as a global hub for trade and business.

 WAM