UAE and Singapore Chart Ambitious Course for Deepened Trade and Investment Partnership
High-level discussions between the UAE's Minister of Foreign Trade and Singapore's senior economic officials signal a commitment to unlocking fresh opportunities and strengthening bilateral economic ties across priority sectors.
The United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Singapore have reaffirmed their dedication to fostering a more robust and multifaceted economic partnership, with senior officials convening to explore pathways for expanded trade and investment collaboration.
Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, engaged in substantive discussions with Gan Kim Yong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry of Singapore, alongside Dr. Tan See Leng, Singapore’s Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry. The meeting, facilitated by Dr. Abdulnasser Jamal Al Shaali, UAE Ambassador to Singapore, centred upon the identification of emerging economic prospects and the cultivation of sustainable growth between the two nations.
The dialogue encompassed a comprehensive examination of bilateral trade and investment expansion, with particular emphasis placed upon the exchange of specialist knowledge to underpin long-term economic sustainability. Both delegations explored mechanisms through which private sector enterprises and investors from each nation could transform promising opportunities into tangible, value-creating ventures, thereby amplifying the commercial sector’s instrumental role in fostering economic integration.
Dr. Al Zeyoudi articulated the UAE’s strategic vision, emphasising that deepened cooperation with Singapore would materialise through strengthened business community ties, enhanced private sector empowerment, and the facilitation of uninhibited trade and investment flows. He underscored the commitment to diversifying and sustaining bilateral relations in alignment with evolving global economic dynamics.
Throughout his Singapore visit, Dr. Al Zeyoudi engaged in an extensive series of conversations with representatives of Singapore’s thriving private sector, encompassing prominent investors, distinguished business executives, and influential figures from preeminent companies and economic institutions. These exchanges concentrated upon amplifying mutual investment ventures, identifying nascent partnership domains between the commercial communities of both nations, and harnessing the considerable potential inherent within each market.
The economic relationship between the two nations demonstrates considerable vigour. Bilateral non-oil trade reached US$6.54 billion in 2025, representing substantial expansion from the prior year’s US$5.2 billion figure and reflecting a year-on-year increase of 25.3%. The Emirates commands the distinction of constituting Singapore’s largest trading partner throughout the Middle Eastern region. Between 2021 and 2025, direct UAE investment in Singapore accumulated to US$5.12 billion, whilst approximately 230 Singaporean enterprises have established flourishing operations within the UAE, concentrating their endeavours across real estate, hospitality and tourism, energy, telecommunications, and transportation and warehousing sectors.
Source: WAM