The UAE’s Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) programme, launched in September 2021, has successfully established 26 agreements with strategically important countries and international groups by the end of the first quarter of 2025. This initiative aims to strengthen the UAE’s economic position both regionally and globally.

In 2025 alone, the UAE has signed five new CEPAs with Malaysia, New Zealand, Kenya, Ukraine, and the Central African Republic. These agreements significantly enhance the country’s global trade network and create new opportunities for the UAE’s private sector and business community in some of the world’s most dynamic economies.

As of now, six of these agreements have officially come into effect. Additionally, fourteen more have been signed and are currently undergoing technical and ratification processes in preparation for implementation. Negotiations on six further agreements have been completed, with signing anticipated soon.

Throughout 2025, the CEPA programme continues to expand the UAE’s trade and investment partnerships, reinforcing its status as a hub for open and multilateral global trade. The UAE is also nearing the conclusion of CEPA negotiations with several major economies, particularly Japan, with discussions expected to finalize before the end of 2025. This reflects the commitment of both nations to enhance economic collaboration and unlock new opportunities for growth between their business communities.

The outcomes of four key agreements that have already taken effect illustrate positive results, including a 20.5 percent increase in non-oil trade between the UAE and India, with UAE exports to India surging by 75 percent by the end of 2024. Trade with Turkiye rose by over 11 percent, while Indonesia experienced growth exceeding 15 percent, and Georgia saw a remarkable 56 percent increase.

These figures highlight the tangible impact of CEPAs, which generally require five years or more to yield significant results. The agreements have positively influenced the UAE’s foreign trade performance, which continues to show steady growth. The CEPA programme has accelerated this upward trend, supporting progress towards the targets set forth in the “We the UAE 2031” vision. This national agenda aims to elevate the total value of the UAE’s non-oil foreign trade in goods to AED4 trillion and boost non-oil exports to AED800 billion by the year 2031.

The beneficial effects of these agreements extend across various sectors, notably in the UAE’s non-oil foreign trade and re-export services. Key sectors that have gained from these agreements include logistics, clean and renewable energy, advanced technology and applications, financial services, green industries, advanced materials, agriculture, and sustainable food systems.