The United Arab Emirates continues to expand its network of economic and investment partnerships with key global markets, bolstering investment flows and creating new avenues for trade while aligning with sustainable growth objectives.
The UAE aims to diversify its economic partners and enhance collaboration with emerging markets across various regions, including Latin America. In 2025, multiple comprehensive economic partnership agreements with Latin American countries are set to take effect as part of the UAE’s efforts to foster mutual trade and investment.
One significant agreement is the comprehensive economic partnership with Costa Rica, which will commence on April 1, 2025. This agreement aims to eliminate or reduce customs duties, facilitate trade in goods and services, and create broader investment opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Additionally, the comprehensive economic partnership with Chile has recently come into force as of November 2025, following its signing in July of the previous year. This agreement is intended to promote non-oil trade and simplify mutual investments in strategic sectors such as infrastructure, energy, logistics, food security, and technology. The UAE is also continuing negotiations to establish comprehensive economic agreements with other countries in the region, including Peru.
Karina Flores, director of InvestChile, expressed that the implementation of the UAE-Chile comprehensive economic partnership marks a significant advancement in the economic relationship between the two nations. She noted that it will accelerate the interest of UAE companies and sovereign funds in investment opportunities in Chile, paving the way for an expansion of UAE foreign direct investment in the near future.
Flores highlighted to Emirates News Agency that the UAE is a key economic partner for Chile within the Gulf region. The agreement builds on a strong institutional foundation that includes a double taxation avoidance treaty effective since 2023 and a customs cooperation agreement established in 2024, thereby enhancing investor confidence and fostering a supportive business environment.
Moreover, the agreement extends beyond mere tariff reductions; it provides a comprehensive framework for enhancing investment and developing value chains, alongside establishing dialogue mechanisms between governments and the private sector, which supports the transition to sustainable long-term investment partnerships with significant economic and developmental impacts.
Regarding updates on UAE investments in Chile, Flores reported that cumulative UAE investments have surpassed USD 1 billion, with ample opportunities for future growth. UAE companies are currently active in strategic sectors, including agricultural industries, food exports, logistics services, ports, infrastructure, and real estate.
In this context, DP World is expanding its operations in major ports along the Chilean coastline, while investments from Abu Dhabi’s Unifrut have bolstered food cooperation between Chile and Gulf countries. The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority has also participated in several infrastructure and real estate projects.
It is worth noting that UAE investments are poised for growth over the next five to ten years in Chile, driven by the alignment of the UAE’s economic diversification priorities with Chile’s competitive advantages, particularly in mining, critical minerals, renewable energy, green hydrogen, water and infrastructure, as well as agricultural industries and digital infrastructure.
Current UAE investments contribute to achieving Chile’s economic development goals by generating jobs, enhancing export competitiveness, and developing infrastructure, with an increased focus on investments linked to sustainable growth and innovation in the coming phase.
The comprehensive economic partnership program is a vital component of the UAE’s foreign trade strategy, aiming to elevate the total trade value to USD 1 trillion by 2031 and to double the economy to surpass USD 800 billion within the same timeframe.
Since its launch in September 2021, the program has successfully concluded 32 agreements covering 53 countries, contributing to strengthening trade relations and expanding the reach of UAE businesses to markets representing nearly a quarter of the world’s population.