Abu Dhabi-Italy Partnership: High-level Delegation To Milan Deepens Strategic Economic Ties

Abu Dhabi is sending a senior economic delegation to Italy from 19–22 January to deepen cooperation, expand trade and support new investment flows. The mission, led by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), includes more than 100 representatives and aims to strengthen the emirate’s role as an international hub for talent, businesses and capital.

The visit also follows Abu Dhabi’s broader outreach in 2025, which includes delegations to major financial centres worldwide. These missions seek to widen the emirate’s economic links, attract high-quality partners and reinforce Abu Dhabi’s long-term development plans through greater international engagement with key global markets.

The Italy programme aligns with the UAE–Italy strategic partnership announced in February 2025, which is backed by investment commitments of up to US$40 billion (AED147 billion). Funds target advanced technology industries, artificial intelligence, data centres, the energy transition, space, connectivity, water technologies, ICT, small and medium-sized enterprises, start-ups, agriculture, civil aviation, education, culture and healthcare.

Delegates from public and private institutions will join the Italy visit, including officials from the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI), ADGM, Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), Abu Dhabi Customs and Hub71. The group will meet senior Italian government representatives, business leaders and investors to discuss joint projects and explore long-term strategic partnerships across multiple sectors.

ADIO, in partnership with ADDED, will hold the Abu Dhabi Investment Forum (ADIF) Milan on 22 January. The event will connect Italian companies and investors with Abu Dhabi policymakers to review opportunities in high-growth industries and consider expansion plans using Abu Dhabi as a base for regional and global markets. Additional forums and meetings in Italy will also highlight Abu Dhabi’s gateway role for trade and investment.

Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADDED, said, "Italy has been a key partner for Abu Dhabi and the UAE for over five decades, and our visit will unlock new opportunities, driving economic development. Partnerships are key to Abu Dhabi’s Falcon Economy, which is guiding our transition to the next phase of development, and we remain committed to continue building and enhancing ties with leading economies around the globe, address emerging trends and technologies, and focus on human development, sustainability and economic diversification to shape a better future for current and future generations."

Al Zaabi added further context on ADDED’s approach to the emirate’s growth plans and private sector development. He added, "As the catalyst for economic growth and diversification, ADDED continues to align policy, regulation, capital and talent to translate Abu Dhabi’s ambitious vision into measurable economic outcomes. A testament to the success of our efforts to enhance our business sector’s attractiveness to investors and entrepreneurs, the number of new businesses in the emirate grew 82 percent in the past five years."

More than 680 Italian companies currently operate in Abu Dhabi, covering areas such as energy, construction, advanced manufacturing, financial services, technology, education and professional services. During 2025, the emirate recorded a 29 percent rise in newly established Italian businesses. At the same time, Abu Dhabi-based investors have increased activity in Italy, especially in infrastructure, energy transition projects, advanced manufacturing and technology-led industries.

{TABLE_1}

Italy, which is the world’s 8th largest economy, remains a key economic partner for Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE. In the first half of 2025, non-oil trade between Italy and the UAE reached US$7.9 billion (AED29 billion), a 14.6 percent increase compared with the same period in 2024. Both sides emphasise clean energy, sustainability, advanced technologies and innovation-led industrial growth as shared priorities for sustained cooperation.

The Abu Dhabi delegation’s programme in Italy is designed to support these strategic objectives while offering businesses from both countries new ways to collaborate. By focusing on investment, joint ventures and knowledge exchange, the visit supports Abu Dhabi’s economic diversification agenda and reinforces the framework of the UAE–Italy strategic partnership agreed in February 2025.

With inputs from WAM