A trade and investment agreement between the UAE and Russia has officially come into force a year after it was signed, in a move aimed at boosting bilateral economic ties.
It aims to increase collaboration across high-growth services sectors by establishing clear rules and protections for services trade and cross-border investment, the Ministry of Foreign Trade said.
The trade in services and investment agreement (Tisia) will "reduce barriers to market entry, facilitate the movement of professionals and create a more predictable environment for businesses operating across both markets", the ministry said.
It will focus on sectors including FinTech, healthcare, transport, logistics and professional services.
The Tisia was signed on August 8 last year in Moscow during President Sheikh Mohamed's visit to Russia.
"The entry into force of the UAE-Russia Tisia, alongside the economic partnership agreement with the EAEU [Eurasian Economic Union], represents the full activation of a comprehensive trade and investment framework that will unlock significant opportunities for businesses and investors in both nations," said Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade.
The EAEU comprises five member states: Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan with a combined GDP of nearly $5 trillion. The UAE signed an economic partnership agreement with the EAEU in 2025 covering trade in goods at the regional level.
Russia is a major economic partner for the UAE, with bilateral non-oil trade reaching $20.4 billion last year, a 77.7 per cent increase compared with 2024, the ministry said.
The deal with Russia is part of the UAE's broader foreign trade agenda, which aims to increase non-oil trade to $1.1 trillion by 2031. The country is investing heavily in trade and logistics infrastructure, including modern seaports and airports to attract foreign investors.
The UAE’s non-oil foreign trade surged 26 per cent annually to exceed $1 trillion for the first time in 2025. Non-oil exports during the year rose 45 per cent to $221 billion.
To support its trade ambitions, the UAE has concluded 38 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (Cepas) with countries around the world since the programme was launched in September 2021.
The programme aims to reduce tariffs and remove trade bottlenecks through simplified customs procedures and rules.
The Emirates has Cepas in place with India, Turkey, Jordan, Serbia and Vietnam, with 18 such deals currently in force.
The latest to enter into force, on July 1, was the Cepa with Ukraine. Under the agreement, 99 per cent of Ukrainian imports of UAE goods and 97 per cent of Ukrainian exports to the Emirates will be exempt from customs duties with immediate effect. The deal is estimated to contribute $369 million to the UAE’s GDP and $874 million to Ukraine’s by 2031.
Last month, the UAE also finalised a Cepa with Canada. The country also expects to conclude Cepas this year with Bangladesh, the EU, Peru, Ghana, Rwanda and Zambia.
