Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Feb 3 (GDM) – The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam officially entered into force on Tuesday, marking a major step in expanding trade and investment ties between the two nations.
Non-oil trade between the UAE and Vietnam reached $16.05 billion in 2025, up 27.4% from the previous year, following a $12.6 billion total in 2024. Vietnam is the UAE’s largest trading partner in the ASEAN region. The CEPA is expected to further boost trade by eliminating or reducing tariffs on more than 90% of UAE exports to Vietnam and 95% of Vietnamese products imported into the UAE.
UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, said the agreement “represents a significant step forward in our economic partnership, opening new avenues for collaboration and sustainable growth,” highlighting opportunities in sectors such as renewable energy, technology, and agriculture.
The CEPA is part of the UAE’s broader strategy to expand its global trade network and reach a non-oil trade target of AED 4 trillion ($1.1 trillion) by 2031. Since its launch in 2021, the CEPA program has concluded agreements with over 30 countries, with 15 now in force, giving UAE businesses access to nearly a quarter of the world’s population.
