The UAE’s minister of foreign trade, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, stated that the comprehensive economic partnership agreement with Japan has entered its final stages.
He added that negotiations with the European Union are also progressing positively.
The initial rounds of discussions for the UAE-Japan and UAE-EU free trade agreements began in September 2024 and June 2025, respectively.
Talks with Ecuador are likewise advancing, with tangible progress being made, Al Zeyoudi told.
To date, the UAE has concluded 32 comprehensive economic partnership agreements, including with India, Malaysia, Angola, Ukraine, New Zealand and the Philippines, of which 14 are already in force.
According to Al Zeyoudi, the country’s non-oil foreign trade reached AED3.8 trillion in 2025, reflecting a growth of 26 percent.
He further highlighted that UAE non-oil exports grew by more than 45 percent, surpassing the nation’s 2031 target of AED813 billion.
Al Zeyoudi emphasised that countries covered by these agreements played a key role in this growth, citing trade increases with India and Turkey of over 15 percent each, Chile by 85 percent, Jordan by more than 37 percent, Australia around 37 percent, Malaysia by 22 percent, and Indonesia by 12 percent.
