Page 312 - MOE ENGLISH PR REPORT - APRIL 2025 (Part 2)

4/14/25, 5:17 PM UAE and Türkiye forge stronger economic ties at 2nd joint economic and trade commission in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi, UAE: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Republic of Türkiye have convened the
second session of the Joint Economic and Trade Commission (JETCO) in Abu Dhabi. Building on the
success of the first session held in Istanbul in 2023, the event sought to further expand the two nations’
trade and commercial relations and support the goals of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership

Agreement (CEPA), which came into force on September 1, 2023.

The meeting, co-chaired by His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for
Foreign Trade, and His Excellency Ömer Bolat, Minister of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye, heralded
rapid progress of UAE-Turkish relations following the CEPA implementation and subsequent first

session of the JETCO. Expressing optimism, the two sides reported an 11.5% growth in non-oil trade in
2024, reaching US$40.5 billion. This achievement of exceeding US$40 billion in non-oil trade, a key
target of the CEPA, is three years ahead of schedule and elevates Türkiye to the UAE’s fourth largest
non-oil trade partner, up from seventh in 2021.

The two ministers were joined at the Commission by HE Saeed Thani Hareb Al Dhaheri, UAE

Ambassador to the Republic of Türkiye; and HE Juma Mohamed Al Kait, Assistant Undersecretary for
International Trade Affairs at the UAE Ministry of Economy. The conversations during the session
covered sectors such as trade and trade finance, investment, green economy, services, advanced

technology and industry, customs, regulation and standards including Halal accreditation, and
collaboration in joint projects in third countries.

HE Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi stated: “The Joint Economic and Trade Commission is a cornerstone of our
strategy to elevate UAE-Türkiye economic relations. By leveraging this platform, we can pinpoint key
opportunities for our exporters, foster investment in priority sectors, and build a resilient framework for

sustainable growth. Our collaboration under the CEPA has already yielded impressive results,
contributing to a threefold increase in bilateral non-oil trade since 2021, and we are committed to
deepening this partnership to unlock even greater potential.”

For his part, His Excellency Ömer Bolat said, “Turkish companies have undertaken 149 projects worth

$17.7 billion in the United Arab Emirates to date. This figure makes the United Arab Emirates the 10th
most important country in the world where Turkish companies undertake projects. Through this meeting,
we have taken steps to achieve our goal of increasing bilateral relations and growing mutually beneficial
economic prosperity on behalf of both our nations and both our people. The UAE is, and remains, one of
our most important economic partners in this regard.”

In line with the intended goals of the JETCO, the Commission also featured the inaugural meeting of the
UAE-Türkiye CEPA Joint Committee, which sought to assess the impact of the deal to date, share data
and experiences, review implementation issues, refine tariffs and quotas and recommend amendments.
The ministerial minutes of both the Joint Committee meeting and the JETCO were signed by HE Al

Zeyoudi and HE Ömer Bolat.

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