As protectionism rises globally, the UAE used the world’s top trade forum to champion open markets, and its own record-breaking numbers back it up.
In a year defined by trade tensions and tariff battles, the UAE showed up to the world’s most important trade gathering with a clear message: open trade works, and the UAE is proof.
At the Conference
The UAE participated in the 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization, held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, with a delegation led by H.E. Fahad Al Gergawi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Trade, and including officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Central Bank of the UAE, and the UAE’s WTO representation in Geneva.
At the conference, Al Gergawi warned that restrictive trade measures threaten to fragment the global economy, weaken growth, and push up both inflation and unemployment — while urging the international community to maintain open trade flows and strengthen global economic resilience.
The UAE’s Case for Open Trade
The numbers make the argument compelling. In 2025, the UAE’s non-oil foreign trade reached AED 3.8 trillion (approximately US$1.03 trillion), representing a 27% increase over 2024 — supported by a rise in non-oil exports and facilitated by the country’s Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs), which give UAE exporters access to one quarter of the world’s population.
Al Gergawi highlighted the UAE’s full integration into global supply chains as a model for other nations, particularly in the current climate of resurging trade barriers.
Building New Bridges
Beyond the main sessions, the UAE delegation held bilateral meetings with representatives from Austria, the Bahamas, New Zealand, Peru, Guatemala, and Costa Rica, while also exploring new trade cooperation opportunities with African nations.
With global trade under pressure, the UAE is making its position clear — and backing it with results.
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