UAE deepens Asia ties as Malaysia, Australia trade deals kick in
Asia accounts for around 60% of the world’s gross domestic product and pursuing trade deals there helps the UAE hedge against dependence on both the US and China.
The United Arab Emirates' bilateral trade deals with Malaysia and Australia came into effect on Wednesday as the Gulf state looks to deepen economic inroads in Asia and Oceania.
The UAE’s Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs), which eliminate tariffs and other trade barriers and seek to boost two-way investment, have become a cornerstone of the Gulf state’s economic strategy.
The deals
The CEPA with the UAE marks Australia’s first trade deal with a country in the Middle East and envisions boosting trade to $10 billion by 2032. Bilateral trade amounted to $4.2 billion in 2024 and $3.03 billion in the first half of 2025, a 33.4% increase on the same period the year prior, according to the official Emirates News Agency.
