UAE and Canada signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement on Tuesday. The deal was sealed by UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and Canada’s Minister of International Trade during Al Zeyoudi’s visit to Canada, where he led a delegation of Emirati officials and business leaders.
Negotiations began only last month and were wrapped up in record time, making the agreement the fastest concluded under the UAE’s CEPA programme.
Bilateral trade between the two countries hit approximately $4.2 billion in 2025, a 21 percent rise on the previous year, according to a UAE government statement.
Since launching its CEPA programme in September 2021, the UAE has signed agreements with 38 countries and surpassed $1 trillion in total trade six years ahead of schedule. The government says the programme supports a goal of more than doubling the economy to over $800 billion by 2031.
Once ratified, the CEPA will cut tariffs, lower trade barriers and broaden market access for businesses in both nations. It is set to open new avenues in clean energy, advanced technology, data centres, aviation, agri‑food and critical minerals.
"The successful conclusion of CEPA negotiations between the UAE and Canada reflects the depth of the strategic relationship between our two nations and our shared desire to build a stronger, more resilient, and more sustainable economic partnership," — Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, UAE
