Chilean President Engages With UAE Firms Post-Economic Partnership Deal

President Gabriel Boric Font of Chile met with key UAE business representatives during his official visit to the UAE. The meeting, held at the Emirates Palace Hotel, included Mohamed Hassan Al Suwaidi, Minister of Investment, Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, and Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade.

The roundtable session followed the signing of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Chile and the UAE. This agreement aims to enhance trade and investment partnerships between the private sectors of both nations. President Boric expressed gratitude for the warm reception from the UAE leadership and citizens.

Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi welcomed President Boric and his delegation, highlighting the deepening friendly relations between Chile and the UAE. He noted that recent cooperation agreements mark a promising phase in bilateral ties. Dr. Al Zeyoudi emphasized that CEPA will boost trade and investment flows, urging the private sector to leverage this opportunity.

Al Zeyoudi stated, "Our CEPA agreement is designed to enhance trade and investment across the whole spectrum of economic activity. But ultimately, it’s not the policymakers who will deliver these results – it’s the energy, agility and ambition of the private sector and meetings such as the UAE-Chile Roundtable that are key to setting the direction for our success."

Reem Al Hashimy highlighted the strategic importance of both countries as gateways for regional trade and investment. She stressed that integration and partnership could lead to significant economic growth. "We believe this visit and this important meeting will help us achieve the common will of the leaderships of the two countries to advance the friendly relations and cooperation between the UAE and Chile to broader horizons, in line with our respective development goals," she said.

Mohammed Hassan Al Suwaidi underscored South America's potential as a strategic market for UAE investments. He remarked on how CEPA would create a strong investment corridor to South America, benefiting both nations' development goals. "The strategic alliance between the UAE and Chile, fostered by our CEPA, will create a robust investment corridor to South America. Together, we aim to achieve shared development objectives and open promising avenues for UAE companies to explore new markets," he said.

High-Level Participation

The meeting saw participation from senior UAE officials like Mohamed Al Neyadi, UAE Ambassador to Chile, Mohamed Al Hawi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Investment, along with representatives from 20 Emirati companies across various sectors. On Chile's side were Alberto van Klaveren, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Nicolas Grau, Minister of Economy; Jessica Lopez, Minister of Public Works; Patricio Diaz, Ambassador to the UAE; heads of major Chilean companies; and business organisation representatives.

President Boric expressed optimism about future collaborations between Chile and the UAE. He said understanding each other's culture and history could lead to more effective cooperation. "I firmly believe that when two countries truly understand each other’s beliefs, people, culture, and history, they can collaborate more effectively. I hope this visit serves as a significant step toward closer ties, shared experiences, and increased trade and investment between Chile and the Emirates," he stated.

The roundtable aimed at exploring new avenues for collaboration in trade and investment between both nations' private sectors. The discussions were part of President Boric's state visit agenda following CEPA's signing.

The meeting concluded with mutual commitments to further strengthen bilateral ties through enhanced economic partnerships aligned with both countries' development goals.

With inputs from WAM