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3/28/25, 2:42 PM UAE says supply-chain accessibility is key to economic growth during G20 Trade and Investment working group - Middle East New…
South Africa, who holds the G20 presidency for 2025, the UAE delegation also expressed its support for the
integration of developing economies into global supply chains, the importance of achieving a just green

transition and the ongoing reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO) as a means of upholding a free,
fair, and inclusive multilateral trading system.

The UAE delegation was headed by His Excellency Juma Al Kait, Assistant Undersecretary for International
Trade Affairs at the Ministry of Economy, and included representatives of the Ministry of the Economy and the

Ministry of Investment. In his remarks to the working group, HE Juma Al Kait said the UAE trade agenda is
closely aligned with the priorities of South Africa’s presidency, in particular the structural transformation of the
African continent and the development of African Continental Free Trade Area. The UAE, he said, has now
concluded Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements with five African nations – Kenya, Central

African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville, Morocco and Mauritius – and has opened discussions with many more
to expand the benefits of free trade and boost investment in key sectors.

His Excellency Al Kait also underlined the UAE’s investment into regional value chains, citing the UAE’s
Africa Economic Corridor Strategy, which aims to increase trade by supporting the development of new

logistics hubs across Sub-Saharan Africa, and the contribution of Abu Dhabi Ports and DP World to the
development of integrated logistics solutions for African businesses. This is in addition to the UAE’s support
for green industrialization, which is another core focus of South Africa’s G20 presidency. His Excellency

noted the UAE’s significant investments in renewable energy ventures, with commitments of more than
US$16.8 billion across 70 countries, the majority of them in the developing world.

In the final session, the UAE highlighted the importance of ensuring the WTO is able to fulfil its mandate as
the custodian of the global trading system, especially in its ability to address economic asymmetries. He
th
noted the unprecedented progress made on the areas of agriculture and fisheries at the 13 Ministerial
Conference (MC13) of the WTO, which was held in Abu Dhabi in February, 2024, and expressed hope that
consensus could be found at MC14 in Cameroon next year.

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