Abu dhabi: Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), held a meeting with the Italian Business Council in the UAE to explore strategies for enhancing trade, investment, and private sector collaboration between the two nations. This meeting highlighted the UAE's commitment to deepening its economic relationship with Italy, an important partner within the European Union.
According to Bahrain News Agency, Al Zeyoudi stressed the significance of the UAE-Italy economic partnership, noting the remarkable growth in trade between the two countries. Non-oil bilateral trade reached US$14 billion in 2024, reflecting a 19.7% increase from 2023 and a 22.2% rise since 2022.
In the first half of 2025, the bilateral trade volume was US$7.9 billion, showing a 14.6% year-on-year increase compared to the first half of 2024 and a 12.3% rise from the second half of 2024. In 2024, Italy emerged as the UAE's leading non-oil trade partner among EU countries and ranked 12th globally, contributing 1.7% to the UAE's total global trade.
The meeting also provided a platform to discuss ongoing initiatives and agreements designed to leverage the existing trade and investment framework for mutual benefit. Al Zeyoudi highlighted the importance of investing in sustainable and innovative projects that create jobs and generate enduring economic value in both the UAE and Italy.