On behalf of the UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, HE Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, the UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, has attended the Eurasia Economic Forum 2026 in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Held alongside the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, the Eurasia Economic Forum brought together heads of state and senior officials from the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) to discuss economic cooperation and trade initiatives.
At Eurasia Economic Forum. Al Zeyoudi participated in the session titled ‘Eurasian Trade and Logistics in a New Reality‘, where he underscored the importance of expanding trade corridors, advancing paperless logistics systems and promoting multilateral investment projects in the transport and logistics sector.
The session focused on strengthening transport infrastructure to boost trade ties among EAEU member states and global partners.
On the sidelines of the Eurasia Economic Forum, Al Zeyoudi held bilateral meetings with Andrey Slepnev, Minister in charge of Trade at the Eurasian Economic Commission, and Arman Shakkaliyev, Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan. The meetings explored ways to strengthen economic cooperation and identify new opportunities for collaboration.
Al Zeyoudi also met Daniyar Joldoshevich, First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Renat Bekturov, Governor of the Astana International Financial Centre, and Allen Chaizhunussov, Chairman of the Export Credit Agency of Kazakhstan, JSC. The minister was accompanied by Dr. Mohammed Saeed Al Ariqi, UAE Ambassador to Kazakhstan and Non-Resident Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan.
Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi UAE Minister of Foreign Trade
“Our participation in the Eurasia Economic Forum has reinforced the UAE’s commitment to enhancing economic cooperation with the EAEU. By fostering strong partnerships, we aim to unlock new opportunities for trade and investment, further establishing our position as a global hub for innovation and sustainable growth.”
In 2025, the UAE’s non-oil foreign trade with the EAEU exceeded $33.3 billion, marking a 15 per cent increase year-on-year. Trade with Kazakhstan reached nearly $6.1 billion, up 8.6 percent compared to the previous year. The UAE remains Kazakhstan’s largest Arab trading partner.
The engagement at the Eurasia Economic Forum 2026 follows the Economic Partnership Agreement signed between the UAE and the EAEU last year to reduce trade barriers and strengthen cooperation across key sectors. The agreement supports the UAE’s strategy to expand global trade partnerships and advance economic diversification and sustainable growth.
