CEPA Opens New Chapter In UAE-Philippines Trade And Investment Cooperation

The United Arab Emirates and the Republic of the Philippines deepen economic ties with a new Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, or CEPA, signed during an official ceremony in Abu Dhabi. The deal seeks to lower tariffs, ease trade procedures, and expand investment flows. It is expected to support non-oil trade growth and strengthen the long-term economic links between the two countries.

The UAE-Philippines CEPA is designed to open wider market access across several priority sectors, including electrical equipment, financial services, agriculture, and precious metals. It aims to support private-sector partnerships, encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to expand internationally, and develop more reliable supply chains. The agreement also supports knowledge exchange between both countries’ workforces and companies.

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The UAE-Philippines CEPA forms part of the UAE’s broader CEPA programme, which supports the national foreign trade strategy. This strategy targets non-oil foreign trade of US$1.1 trillion by 2031. In 2024, the programme helped lift the UAE’s non-oil trade to US$810 billion, representing a 14 percent year-on-year rise and reflecting stronger links with high-growth trading partners.

Under the wider CEPA initiative, the UAE has concluded 32 agreements with partner economies, with 14 already in force. These agreements are intended to strengthen open, rules-based trade and back economic diversification. They also aim to expand global opportunities for UAE businesses in sectors such as manufacturing, services, logistics, and technology, while keeping market access predictable and transparent.

Recent trade data highlight the scale of the UAE-Philippines relationship ahead of the CEPA coming into effect. Bilateral non-oil trade reached US$940 million, or AED3.5 billion, in 2024. In the first nine months of 2025, trade exceeded US$853.7 million, which represents a 22.4 percent increase compared with the same period a year earlier.

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The UAE is already the Philippines’ leading export market among Arab and African countries and ranks as the 17th largest trade partner globally for the Philippines. Projections linked to the UAE-Philippines CEPA indicate that the agreement could raise the UAE’s GDP by US$2.4 billion by 2032. This expected gain underscores the agreement’s role in the UAE’s long-term growth plans.

Ceremony, leadership views, and goals of the UAE-Philippines Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement

The UAE-Philippines CEPA was signed by His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, and Her Excellency Cristina Aldeguer-Roque, Philippines Secretary of Trade and Industry, on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Philippines President His Excellency Ferdinand R Marcos Jr witnessed the signing, underscoring high-level political support.

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed said the relationship between the UAE and the Philippines continues to flourish, underpinned by a shared vision to broaden cooperation in ways that serve the mutual interests of both countries. He expressed confidence that the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement would represent a major step forward in bilateral cooperation, contributing to both countries’ shared development goals. His Highness noted that the signing of the agreement reflects the UAE’s ongoing commitment to building global partnerships that foster economic growth, prosperity, and long-term opportunities for future generations.

The UAE-Philippines CEPA is positioned as a new phase in a long-standing economic relationship between the two nations. By reducing tariffs and non-tariff barriers, promoting investment, and supporting SMEs, the agreement links national objectives in both economies. It is expected to reinforce commercial ties, strengthen supply-chain resilience, and align with the UAE’s broader trade agenda focused on sustainable, diversified non-oil growth.

With inputs from WAM