Gqeberha: Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, emphasized the United Arab Emirates’ commitment to open rules-based trade as a key driver of long-term development during the G20 Trade and Investment Ministerial Meeting in Gqeberha, South Africa.
According to Emirates News Agency, Al Zeyoudi highlighted the UAE’s advocacy for collaborative solutions to current trade challenges, such as modernizing supply chains and enhancing global trade accessibility and equity. The G20 Trade and Investment Ministerial Meeting serves as a forum for member nations to discuss trade and investment issues that will inform discussions at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in November. The UAE attended as a specially invited guest, with Al Zeyoudi leading the sessions on industrialization in sustainable development, inclusive growth, and WTO reform.
Al Zeyoudi stressed the importance of aligning outcomes across international organizations to foster a balanced global trading system. He advocated for addressing developmental issues within trade policies to ensure all nations benefit from global trade and drive sustainable economic growth.
The UAE’s positive trade agenda was highlighted by a new UNCTAD-OECD report commissioned by South Africa. The report recognized the UAE’s Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPA) program as a model for driving trade and facilitating investment in sectors like clean energy and digital transformation. The UAE’s CEPAs with India, Australia, Turkey, and New Zealand were noted as best practices for fostering international collaboration.
Since 2021, the UAE has concluded 31 trade agreements covering diverse economies. Al Zeyoudi noted ongoing CEPA discussions with at least 10 African nations, demonstrating the UAE’s role in supporting regional value chains. He also emphasized the UAE’s commitment to renewable energy investments worth over US$16.8 billion across 70 countries.
G20 members, which represent 85% of global GDP and 75% of international trade, play a crucial role in shaping the global economy. In the first half of 2025, the UAE’s non-oil trade with G20 members surpassed US$231 billion, a 19.2% increase from 2024. By the end of 2024, the UAE’s non-oil foreign trade exceeded US$816.9 billion, marking a 14.6% increase from 2023.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Al Zeyoudi engaged in high-level bilateral discussions with WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and officials from countries including South Korea, Japan, the EU, Canada, Indonesia, and Switzerland. These meetings reinforced the UAE’s commitment to fostering international partnerships in trade and investment.