The Joint Economic Committee between the UAE and the Netherlands discusses in Abu Dhabi improving cooperation relations
Abu Dhabi, 4 December / WAM / During its third meeting held in Abu Dhabi today, the Joint Economic Committee between the UAE and the Netherlands discussed ways to advance their trade and investment relations in promising economic sectors, including renewable energy, innovation, advanced technology, agricultural technology and tourism.
The committee meeting was chaired by His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, and Her Excellency Aoki de Vries, Minister of Trade and Development of the Netherlands, with the participation of Her Excellency Amira Obaid Al Hafiti, UAE Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and an elite group of senior government officials, business leaders, and representatives of the private sector from the two countries, with the aim of strengthening bilateral trade and investment relations.
During his opening speech of the work of the Joint Committee, His Excellency Al Zeyoudi stressed the importance of the partnership between the UAE and the Netherlands, saying: The discussions at the third meeting of the Joint Economic Committee reaffirmed our shared focus on innovation, commitment to sustainable development, and the great prospects for expanding our bilateral trade and investment ties across a wide range of future-focused sectors. The Netherlands is an essential partner of the UAE, and together we can benefit from mutual experiences in the sectors of energy, renewable energy, technology, and sustainable agriculture to stimulate economic growth and innovation in our two friendly countries.
In turn, Her Excellency Aoki de Vries said that the UAE is an important partner for the Netherlands, as our two countries have broad bilateral relations that include political dialogue and combating transnational organized crime, and through the Joint Economic Committee we aim to enhance our bilateral trade, which exceeded 13 billion euros in 2024.
She added that the UAE has achieved a remarkable economic transformation towards an innovation-based economy, which is closely aligned with Dutch expertise in the fields of food security, water management, and advanced technical solutions. Through the Joint Economic Committee, we seek to create new opportunities for more than 500 Dutch companies operating throughout the UAE.
The meeting highlighted the strength of bilateral trade and investment relations, as the Netherlands represents the UAE’s fourth largest trading partner in the European Union, where the value of bilateral non-oil trade in the first nine months of 2025 reached $4.1 billion, an annual increase of 6.5%.
The UAE is one of the main destinations in the Middle East and North Africa region for agricultural products from the Netherlands, as well as Dutch agricultural equipment. The value of mutual investments reached $20 billion, with a strong focus on green technology and the expansion of cooperation within the private sector in the two countries.
The meeting included discussions on enhancing cooperation in sectors including renewable energy, artificial intelligence, agricultural technology, and smart transportation solutions.
The two ministers reaffirmed their commitment to building a supportive environment for cooperation between the private sector, while emphasizing the role of innovation in achieving common economic goals.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the UAE and the Netherlands agreed to hold the next meeting of the Joint Economic Committee in the Netherlands, which reflects the commitment of both parties to ongoing dialogue and cooperation.
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