Page 604 - MOE ENGLISH PR REPORT - FEBRUARY 2025 Part 1

2/26/25, 9:20 AM WGS 2025: UAE's Al Zeyoudi meets with senior officials, ministers to grow trade ties with key markets
With Manoa Seru Nakausabaria Kamikamica, Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji, talks revolved around
logistics, the fishing industry and the importance of moving forward with climate-mitigation
policies.
Al Zeyoudi also discussed improving connections to Latin America with Gabriela García, Minister
of Economy of Guatemala and Félix Ulloa, Vice President of El Salvador. Moreover, trade and
investment with the key industrial state of Michigan, USA was the focus of the discussions with
Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

Al Zeyoudi also held talks with Erkki Keldo, Minister of Economy and Industry of Estonia, and
Ismaël M’Fala Nabé, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation of Guinea.
Al Zeyoudi reviews key CEPAs
The World Government Summit also provided the opportunity to review several of the UAE’s
Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements. Al Zeyoudi met with Bùi Thanh Sơn, Deputy
Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, with which the UAE signed a CEPA in
October 2024.
He also held a discussion with Luis Carlos Reyes Hernández, Minister of Commerce, Industry, and
Tourism of Colombia, a CEPA partner since April 2024.
He said the meetings serve to strengthen the UAE’s position as an important partner for economic
development across the world.
“Our CEPA program is establishing corridors of growth between Asia, Africa and the Americas, and
many countries are expressing their interest in deepening their collaboration with us. I look forward
to continuing these conversations to ensure a prosperous and equitable future for all,” he added.
The UAE’s CEPA program is a cornerstone of its efforts to drive non-oil foreign trade to AED4
trillion ($1.1 trillion) by 2031 and foster international cooperation with strategic markets such as the
ASEAN bloc, which has a GDP of more than $2.9 trillion and a population of 647 million people.
With CEPAs already in force with Indonesia, Vietnam, Colombia, and others, the UAE continues to
bolster its ties with the region and consolidate its status as a global trade hub that connects high-
growth economies and expands opportunities for the private sector across Asia.
UAE’s non-oil foreign trade hits AED3 trillion in 2024
Last week, Al Zeyoudi stated that the UAE’s non-oil foreign trade has continued its upward
trajectory, reaching AED3 trillion in 2024, with a record annual increase of 14.6 percent compared
to 2023. “The milestone also means we have achieved 75 percent of the AED4 trillion target set in
the ‘We the UAE 2031’ national vision with seven full years remaining,” he said.
The expansion of foreign trade is a key pillar of the UAE’s national economic strategy. Through the
CEPA program, the country is expanding opportunities for the private sector by enhancing access to
high-growth markets around the world.
“In 2024, we have been able to see the positive impact of this program. Total exports to CEPA
partner countries reached AED135 billion in 2024, an increase of 42.3 percent and contributing 24
percent of our total non-oil exports. India and Türkiye are the two leading destinations for non-oil
exports,” Al Zeyoudi added.
Read: U.S and India aim for $500 billion bilateral trade by 2030, starting talks to resolve tariff
disputes
Minister calls on tech pioneers to expand regional footprint
The transformative power of artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology and
sustainability-driven technologies was also a major theme at this year’s World Governments
Summit. In a conversation with Roberto Viola, director-general of the European Commission’s
CONNECT project, Al Zeyoudi outlined the UAE’s efforts to harness advanced technology to

https://economymiddleeast.com/news/wgs-2025-uaes-al-zeyoudi-meets-with-senior-officials-ministers-to-grow-trade-ties-with-key-markets/ 2/3