ABU DHABI, 4th December, 2025 (WAM) -- Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, welcomed Aukje de Vries, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, to Abu Dhabi for the third UAE-Netherlands Joint Economic Committee (JEC) meeting.
The event was attended by senior government officials - including Ameirah Obaid AlHefeiti, UAE Ambassador to the Netherlands - business leaders, and private sector representatives from both countries, with the aim of deepening bilateral trade and investment relations.
In his opening remarks, Al Zeyoudi emphasised the importance of the UAE-Netherlands partnership, stating, “The discussions at this third Joint Economic Committee reaffirmed our shared focus on innovation, a commitment to sustainable development, and the potential for our bilateral trade and investment ties to expand significantly across a wide range of future focused sectors. The Netherlands is an essential partner for the UAE, and together we can leverage our combined strength in renewable energy, technology, and sustainable agriculture to foster mutual economic growth and innovation.”
The meeting highlighted the strength of existing relations, with the Netherlands being the UAE’s 4th largest trading partner in the European Union. In the first nine months of 2025, bilateral non-oil trade between the two countries exceeded US$4.1 billion, a 6.5% increase year-on-year. The UAE is one of the principal destinations in the MENA region for agricultural products from the Netherlands as well as Dutch agriculture equipment. Al Zeyoudi also noted that current mutual investment stands at US$20 billion, with significant focus on green technologies as private sector collaboration expands between the two countries.
Aukje de Vries said, “The UAE is an important partner for the Netherlands. Our countries maintain broad bilateral relations, including political dialogue and fighting transnational organised crime. Through the JEC we aim to strengthen our bilateral trade which exceeded EUR13 billion in 2024. The UAE’s impressive economic transformation to an innovation-driven economy aligns closely with Dutch expertise in food security, water management and high tech solutions. With the JEC we try to foster opportunities for 500 Dutch companies which are active across the UAE.”
The meeting included discussions on enhancing cooperation in sectors such as energy and renewable energy, innovation and advanced technology, agri-tech, and tourism. Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to creating an environment conducive to private-sector collaboration, emphasising the role of innovation in achieving shared economic objectives.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the UAE and the Netherlands agreed to hold a future JEC in the Netherlands, further demonstrating their commitment to ongoing dialogue and collaboration.