Emirates News Agency reported that Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi delivered the UAE address at the Mercosur Summit in Asuncion on July 1 2026 acting on behalf of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. In the statement Al Zeyoudi conveyed the president’s greetings to participating leaders and expressed wishes for the bloc’s continued progress. The address underscored the UAE’s dedication to building a strategic partnership with Mercosur that would serve as a foundation for mutual economic advancement amid evolving global conditions. WAM figures show non-oil trade between the UAE and Mercosur members totalled 6.2 billion dollars in 2025 with additional value derived from joint investments and collaborative projects across multiple sectors.
The minister’s remarks according to the official agency highlighted rapid geopolitical changes that are reshaping international economies and creating openings for balanced sustainable partnerships grounded in shared interests. Al Zeyoudi emphasised the importance of directing resources toward modern technologies future-oriented industries renewable energy sources and workforce development in skills and knowledge to drive long-term growth. Trade was positioned in the address as a vital force for fostering innovation economic diversification and resilience with the UAE pledging to pursue a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement following ongoing efforts involving the European Union and Mercosur nations.
Negotiations toward the UAE-Mercosur CEPA have advanced steadily with the fourth round of talks concluding in November 2025 according to the Organisation of American States trade promotion database. Discussions are expected to expand into bolstering food value chain resilience supporting energy transition initiatives and improving logistics connections to unlock access to new markets. The address noted that current global dynamics underscore the necessity for deepened partnerships and an open multilateral trading framework to deliver sustainable benefits for all participants.
UAE participation in the summit forms part of a wider national strategy to broaden economic alliances with regional blocs and enhance the country’s global footprint through expanded trade and investment flows a WAM assessment found. The Ministry of Foreign Trade has pursued an active CEPA programme that has produced agreements with at least 20 countries and several more under negotiation as documented in a March 2025 Observer Research Foundation analysis with Mercosur listed among active talks alongside nations such as Japan and Thailand. This approach has contributed to diversified non-oil export growth and positioned the UAE as a connector between emerging markets in the Gulf and Latin America.
Further talks are anticipated to focus on practical cooperation in sectors where both sides hold complementary strengths including agricultural supply chains clean energy technologies and infrastructure development that could generate mutual gains. The Mercosur bloc comprising Brazil Argentina Paraguay Uruguay and associated members represents a combined economy with significant potential for scaled collaboration the minister’s delivered statement indicated. Such initiatives align with the UAE’s established record of finalising trade pacts that eliminate tariffs on the majority of goods and open service sectors to greater cross-border activity.
