UAE–Kuwait non-oil trade hits $14.8 bln as economic ties gain new momentum

2026-02-03 - 05:28

UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi announced that non-oil trade between the United Arab Emirates and the State of Kuwait reached approximately AED 54.5 billion ($14.8 billion) in 2025, marking an annual growth of 9.1 percent compared to 2024. Al Zeyoudi made the remarks during his address at the Emirati-Kuwaiti Economic Forum held in Dubai as part of the “UAE and Kuwait... Brothers Forever” week. He revealed that mutual investments between the two countries exceeded $10 billion by the end of 2024, with more than 60 percent originating from the UAE and flowing into Kuwait. He stressed that economic relations between the two nations continue to strengthen, supported by shared visions and deep-rooted ties, reports Al-Rai daily. Highlighting the historical depth of the relationship, Al Zeyoudi said that cooperation between the UAE and Kuwait is recorded “in letters of light in the books of history.” He noted that long before the establishment of the UAE, Kuwaiti merchants were among the earliest to recognize commercial and investment opportunities in the Emirates. Many settled in Dubai’s Murshid Market — named after prominent Kuwaiti trader Murshid Al-Osaimi — during the 1940s and 1950s. He recalled that Kuwaiti merchants played a key role in timber, pearl, and re-export trade, and that Murshid Al-Osaimi himself founded Dubai’s first cinema nearly 70 years ago. Beyond goods, Kuwaiti traders, he said, also transported ideas, knowledge, and mutual trust between the two peoples. Al Zeyoudi emphasized that the sea formed the strongest historical bond between the UAE and Kuwait. In the pre-oil era, both economies relied heavily on pearl diving and maritime trade, with merchant dhows operating within an integrated network stretching from the Gulf to India and East Africa. Kuwaiti traders, known for their organizational strength, made extensive use of UAE ports such as Dubai and Sharjah within a unified cross-border trading system. He underlined that the story of enduring brotherhood between the two countries goes beyond trade figures and investment flows. “It is the story of pioneering traders, maritime routes that united rather than divided, and trust that evolved into institutions — forming a unique Gulf model of integration,” he said. Al Zeyoudi added that the convening of the UAE–Kuwait Economic Forum comes at a time of unprecedented momentum in bilateral relations, reflecting the shared will of both leaderships to elevate cooperation to broader levels of strategic partnership — with trade and investment at its core. The forum aims to deepen economic, trade, and investment ties, highlight the historical bonds between the two nations, explore opportunities in key sectors, and exchange views on regional and global economic developments — opening new horizons for cooperation between the two brotherly countries.