UAE deepens Eurasian trade push

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was represented at the Eurasia Economic Forum 2026 in Astana by Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, as Abu Dhabi moved to strengthen commercial links with a region central to new supply chains, logistics corridors and investment flows.

The forum, held on May 28 and 29 alongside the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, brought together heads of state, ministers, senior officials, business leaders and international organisations from Eurasian Economic Union member states and partner economies. Kazakhstan hosted the event during its 2026 chairmanship of the union’s governing bodies, placing trade facilitation, digital transformation, industrial cooperation and transport connectivity high on the agenda.

Al Zeyoudi used the gathering to underline the UAE’s widening trade strategy with the Eurasian bloc, which includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. Non-oil trade between the UAE and the Eurasian Economic Union exceeded $33.3 billion in 2025, rising 15 per cent from the previous year, while trade with Kazakhstan reached about $6.1 billion, an increase of 8.6 per cent. The figures reinforce Kazakhstan’s position as the UAE’s leading trading partner in Central Asia and among Arab-linked trade partners in the country’s market.

The UAE’s presence in Astana follows the economic partnership agreement signed with the Eurasian Economic Union last year, a pact designed to reduce trade barriers, improve market access and support cooperation across goods, services, logistics, investment and priority industrial sectors. The agreement fits into the UAE’s wider effort to expand non-oil trade, diversify export markets and position the country as a gateway between Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

Al Zeyoudi held separate meetings on the sidelines of the forum with senior officials from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan’s financial centre and the country’s export credit agency. The discussions focused on investment channels, export finance, financial services, digital trade and opportunities for companies seeking to use the UAE as a base for regional expansion. Dr Mohammed Saeed Al Ariqi, UAE Ambassador to Kazakhstan and Non-Resident Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, accompanied the delegation.

The forum’s agenda reflected the growing economic weight of the Eurasian bloc at a time when many governments are reassessing trade routes and supply resilience. Mutual trade within the Eurasian Economic Union surpassed $95 billion in 2025 and is expected to exceed $100 billion in 2026, supported by stronger intra-bloc commerce, industrial collaboration and transport links. The bloc’s combined GDP is forecast to grow by about 2.5 per cent over 2026 and 2027, giving partner countries a larger platform for trade and investment engagement.

For the UAE, the Astana forum offered a chance to build on a foreign trade policy that has become a central pillar of national economic planning. Non-oil trade in goods reached Dh3 trillion in 2024, up 14.6 per cent from the previous year, bringing the country closer to its Dh4 trillion target for 2031. Exports have also taken a larger share of total non-oil trade, while trade agreements with partner economies have helped manufacturers, logistics companies, financial firms and service providers reach new markets.

The Eurasian corridor is gaining importance because of its position between China, Europe, the Gulf and South Asia. Kazakhstan, in particular, has invested heavily in transport infrastructure, dry ports and rail links that connect the Caspian region with wider continental routes. For UAE companies, these routes offer opportunities in warehousing, ports, aviation, agritech, metals, food security, renewable energy and digital services.

The UAE’s trade diplomacy has expanded beyond conventional goods exchange. Its agreements increasingly cover investment protection, customs cooperation, technical standards, small-business participation and supply-chain efficiency. That approach is intended to give private companies clearer rules and lower costs when entering unfamiliar markets, while also creating room for joint ventures in sectors where the UAE has developed global capabilities.