UAE and Canada complete record-breaking trade agreement in 47 days
The UAE and Canada have concluded negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in just 47 days, the fastest trade deal ever negotiated by Canada, building on bilateral trade that reached $4.2 billion in 2025.
UAE and Canada complete record-breaking trade agreement in 47 days
The United Arab Emirates and Canada have successfully concluded negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, achieving a milestone as Canada's fastest-ever trade deal negotiation at just 47 days from start to finish.
Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, and Maninder Sidhu, Canadian Minister of International Trade, announced the conclusion during Al Zeyoudi's visit to Canada, where he led a delegation of Emirati officials and business leaders.
The agreement builds on a bilateral trade relationship that reached approximately $4.2 billion in 2025, representing 21 percent growth from $3.4 billion in 2024. Once ratified and implemented, the CEPA will eliminate tariffs, reduce bureaucratic barriers, and expand market access for businesses in both countries.
Foundation of recent diplomatic progress
The agreement follows the signing of the Canada-UAE Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement during Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to the UAE in November 2025—the first visit by a Canadian Prime Minister to the Emirates in more than 40 years. That investment protection agreement entered into force on May 19, 2026, just two months before the CEPA negotiations concluded.
During that historic visit, the UAE announced a $70 billion Canadian dollar investment commitment targeting energy projects, critical minerals, port infrastructure, data centres, and emerging technologies including artificial intelligence.
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. Through this agreement, we are opening new horizons for the business communities of both countries, expanding investment and collaboration opportunities across priority sectors including clean energy, advanced technology, data centres, agri-food, aviation, and critical minerals.
Dr. Al Zeyoudi said.
Strategic sectors and investment flows
The CEPA is designed to facilitate collaboration in key sectors where both economies demonstrate complementary strengths. These include aerospace, agri-food, seafood, and critical minerals—a sector where the UAE has been particularly active. In February 2026, the Emirates signed a framework agreement with the United States on securing supply chains for mining and processing critical minerals, establishing coordination across the full value chain from extraction through recycling and downstream manufacturing.
The agreement is projected to channel billions of dollars into major infrastructure projects including ports, mines, liquefied natural gas facilities, data centres, and critical mineral operations in both countries.
This agreement will unlock opportunities for Canadian businesses to utilise the UAE as a regional commercial hub to grow exports while encouraging investment from the UAE in projects that support our long-term economic goals. The Canada-UAE CEPA reflects the strength of our partnership that will deliver lasting benefits for businesses, workers, and communities in both countries.
Minister Sidhu said.
Part of ambitious economic strategy
The CEPA with Canada represents the 37th such agreement concluded under the UAE's trade programme launched in September 2021. Of these, 18 have entered into force, with the first—signed with India in February 2022—becoming operational in May of that year. The UAE is currently negotiating with approximately 20 additional countries.
This aggressive trade diplomacy forms a cornerstone of the UAE's "We the UAE 2031" vision, which aims to double the country's GDP from 1.49 trillion dirhams to 3 trillion dirhams by 2031, while increasing non-oil exports to 800 billion dirhams and raising total foreign trade to 4 trillion dirhams.
The strategy has already delivered results ahead of schedule. The UAE achieved its target of $1 trillion in total trade value six years earlier than the original 2031 deadline, validating the effectiveness of the CEPA programme in accelerating trade growth and positioning the Emirates as a global commercial hub.
