UAE-Ukraine trade deal would shore up Middle East food security
The goal is to ultimately secure "all aspects of the international food production supply chain."
![A picture shows a view of the SEAEAGLE, a vessel which reportedly left Ukraine with a cargo of wheat, anchored in Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast, on September 9, 2022. (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)](/sites/default/files/styles/article_hero_medium/public/2022-12/GettyImages-1243073752.jpg?h=790be497&itok=tR9BS_NZ)
The United Arab Emirates announced last week that it has opened discussions with Ukraine over a potential free trade deal known as a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in order to liberalize trade flows.
The news comes at a time when Ukraine, one of the world’s largest exporters of wheat and grain, is looking for ways to support its war-damaged economy, while the UAE is seeking to ensure its food security.