JEDDAH: Following the first meeting of the Joint Economic Committee, held in Dubai to enhance collaboration in various areas, including biotechnology, renewable energy, and tourism, trade and investment ties between the United Arab Emirates and Cuba are expected to strengthen.
The session, which was organised by the trade, economic, and technical cooperation agreement that both countries had previously signed, was a major step towards furthering bilateral economic engagement.
Carlos Luis Jorge Mendez, Cuba’s first deputy minister of international trade and foreign investment, and Abdullah Ahmed Al-Saleh, undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Economy, co-chaired the committee meeting. Talks focused on strengthening cooperation in the fields of agriculture, food security, infrastructure, logistics, transportation, cultural industries, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals, according to the UAE’s official news agency WAM.
The non-oil commerce between the two nations has been increasing rapidly. According to WAM, it climbed to over $39.1 million in 2024, up 46.4 percent from 2022 and more than 2 percent from the year before. According to the agency, commerce increased by more than 25 percent from the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same time in 2024 and by 5.6 percent from the first quarter of 2025. Currently, the UAE market is home to over 825 Cuban brands.
Also Read:
334,000 Saudi Residents Received AI Training
Bahraini King and UAE President Talk About Relationships in Abu Dhabi