Special Envoy for Trade and Investment to the United Arab Emirates Ma. Anna Kathryna Yu-Pimentel said the long-standing partnership between the Philippines and the UAE has created the conditions for the imminent signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the country’s first free trade pact with a Middle Eastern state.
Yu-Pimentel made the statement as preparations move forward for the signing of the agreement.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to make a one-day working visit to the United Arab Emirates next week to attend the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.
Malacañang said the President will leave on Jan. 12 upon the invitation of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
“CEPA reflects the depth of trust and cooperation between the Marcos administration and the UAE government,” Yu-Pimentel said. “It is a historic step for Philippine trade and investment in the Middle East.”
According to the special envoy, the agreement spans trade in goods and services, investments, small and medium enterprises, digitalization, customs cooperation, governance, and sustainability.
She said talks accelerated following meetings involving First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and UAE Foreign Trade Minister Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi during the World Government Summit in Dubai last year, which were later reinforced by sustained exchanges between both governments.
“Our leaders’ presence and consistent engagements with the UAE signal the highest level of support for this growing alliance,” Yu-Pimentel said.
“The series of exchanges rooted in what we call soft diplomacy—championed by our First Lady—have opened the doors to culture, people-to-people engagement, and endless possibilities for economic and institutional partnerships.”
Yu-Pimentel noted that a June 2024 visit to Malacañang by UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan was followed by a reciprocal trip in November 2024, when President Marcos and the First Lady traveled to the UAE to mark 50 years of diplomatic relations.
Since then, the Philippines and the UAE have concluded around 22 agreements covering culture, energy transition, legal cooperation, government modernization, and security.
Bilateral non-oil trade reached $1.08 billion in 2023, with the UAE emerging as the Philippines’ largest export market in the Gulf.
From 2019 to 2023, UAE investments in the Philippines totaled more than $129 million, Yu-Pimentel said.
UAE Ambassador to the Philippines Mohamed Alqataam Alzaabi earlier said the CEPA would further expand trade and investment flows once finalized, while underscoring the UAE’s commitment to the welfare of more than one million Filipinos living and working in the country.
“The signing of the CEPA, expected in the coming weeks, will further boost trade and investment,” Alzaabi said.
“The UAE is home to more than one million Filipinos, whose contributions enrich every sector of society. The UAE remains committed to safeguarding their welfare and strengthening the bonds between the two nations,” he added.
