UAE’s 27 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements explained

Ten deals have been implemented with trading partners

The Cepa initiative is an important pillar of the UAE's foreign trade agenda. Photo: UAE Government Media Office

The UAE has concluded 27 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements following the signing of a trade deal with Azerbaijan on Wednesday.

Ten of these deals – with India, Indonesia, Israel, Turkey, Cambodia, Georgia, Costa Rica, Mauritius, Serbia and Jordan – have been implemented and are operational, according to data from the Ministry of Foreign Trade. These are already yielding benefits.

Agreements with other trading partners – Australia, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Chile, Colombia, Kenya, Ukraine, Vietnam, Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, Eurasia, Belarus and Azerbaijan – are yet to be implemented. Talks have also concluded with the Philippines, Morocco and Armenia.

The Cepa between the UAE and Azerbaijan was signed in the presence of President Sheikh Mohamed and Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, second left. UAE Presidential Court

On Wednesday, UAE signed the Cepa with Azerbaijan as the two countries look to boost investment flows and unlock opportunities in renewable energy, tourism, logistics, and construction services.

The deal is also expected to enhance private sector collaboration as well as supporting entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises to expand their operations globally, Wam reported.

UAE-Azerbaijan bilateral non-oil trade in 2024 rose 43 per cent year-on-year to $2.4 billion. The UAE is the top Arab investor in Azerbaijan, with investments of more than $1 billion.

The Cepa initiative is an important pillar of the foreign trade agenda. The UAE aims to increase non-oil foreign trade to $1.1 trillion by 2031.

Cepas aim to reduce tariffs and remove trade bottlenecks through simpler procedures and rules. They have boosted UAE trade with partner countries since 2022.

Ahead of schedule

In 2024, the UAE's non-oil foreign trade hit a record Dh3 trillion ($816.7 billion), up 14.6 per cent year-on-year, as the Emirates continues to diversify its economy and forges closer trade ties with countries around the globe.

Cepas have contributed Dh135 billion to the UAE's non-oil trade with partner nations, an increase of 42 per cent compared to the previous year, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said on X earlier this year.

“In 2021, we set a goal of reaching Dh4 trillion in annual foreign trade by 2031. By the end of 2024, we have already achieved 75 per cent of that target. At this pace, we will reach it years ahead of schedule,” Sheikh Mohammed said.

Bilateral trade surge

The UAE signed its first Cepa with India in February 2022, with the agreement taking effect that May. Bilateral non-oil trade surged to $50.5 billion in the following 12 months – a 5.8 per cent annual increase.

Israel was the second country with which the UAE signed a Cepa, followed by Indonesia and Turkey.

A deal with Israel came into effect on April 1, 2023 and aims to boost non-oil bilateral trade to $10 billion by the end of the decade – up from $1.3 billion in 2021, the Ministry of Economy said previously.

The UAE and Israel established relations with the Abraham Accords in 2020, and later signed agreements in areas including technology and aviation.

A deal with Indonesia, which came into effect in September 2023, is expected to boost the UAE’s non-oil trade with Jakarta to $10 billion by 2027. The agreement with Turkey aims to achieve trade worth $40 billion by 2028, while the deal with Cambodia has a target of $1 billion by 2025 or 2027.

The UAE-Cambodia Cepa, which came into force on January 2023, is expected to provide market access to companies operating in both countries, as well as boost investment opportunities and support for small and medium enterprises, according to the Ministry of Economy website.

The Cepa between the UAE and Georgia was signed in 2023 and came into effect in June last year. It is expected to more than triple the total value of non-oil trade between the two countries to $1.5 billion within five years, while adding $3.9 billion to the UAE’s gross domestic product and $291 million to Georgia’s GDP by 2031.

This story was originally published on March 9 and was updated after the new deal with Azerbaijan.