Dubai: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has witnessed the launch of the ‘UAE Global Centre of Trade’ programme, the new strategy from the Ministry of Foreign Trade that aims to cement the UAE's position as one of principal centers of international commerce. The programme is a strategic step to strengthen the UAE's position as a global gateway for goods and services, accelerate national targets for foreign trade, and open new markets for UAE exports.

The launch was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court; H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Finance; H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of the Interior, and H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said: “We launched an international economic programme to reinforce the UAE’s global standing in foreign trade. The programme aims to attract the world’s top 1,000 international trading companies and introduce a digital gateway that connects thousands of UAE exporters to global markets. The programme will create greater opportunities for Emirati products, open new export destinations, and further consolidate the UAE’s position as a central hub in global trade routes.”

The UAE Global Centre of Trade is a suite of bold, far-sighted initiatives that will build on the nation’s successful foreign trade agenda and further increase non-oil exports, attract international trading and manufacturing companies, empower exporters with new technologies and tools, and identify new market opportunities around the world.

The launch of this programme, in partnership with several ministries, government agencies, departments, chambers of commerce and relevant institutions, is a strategic step that reflects the country's commitment to strengthening its strategic position on the global economic map as a major hub for international trade flows.

Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, said the adoption of the programme reflects the UAE leadership’s belief that trade is an essential catalyst of economic growth, development and diversification, and that collaboration with the world’s most important markets continues to drive productivity and innovation.

“The initiatives under the UAE Global Centre of Trade programme will ensure we capture an ever-increasing share of international commerce, whether that’s through offering new horizons for UAE exporters or providing a raft of benefits for companies seeking a platform for international expansion. By rolling out new tools to simplify exports, utilizing AI to identify new markets and high-potential sectors, promoting the excellence of our private-sector across the world, and educating our businesses and entrepreneurs on the opportunities provided by our foreign trade network, we can better leverage our strategic position at a global crossroads. This is a moment for the UAE to restate the case for global trade and to demonstrate its ability to power the next stage of prosperity," Al Zeyoudi said.

The launch of the programme comes at a time when the UAE continues to achieve historic growth rates in its non-oil trade with the world. In the first nine months of 2025, non-oil trade reached AED 2.67 trillion, a growth of 24.6% year-on-year. The UAE's non-oil exports also continued to achieve unprecedented historical growth rates, reaching AED 579.4 billion during the same period, with a growth rate of more than 42.6 compared to the same period in 2024. During the first nine months of 2025, the value of re-exports reached AED 597.7 billion, a growth of 15% from the same period in 2024, and the UAE's imports reached AED 1.5 trillion, a growth of 22.8% compared to the same period in 2024.

The UAE Global Center of Trade will be led and implemented by the Ministry of Foreign Trade in partnership with a wide range of strategic associates, including other ministries, federal and local government agencies, national institutions, and private-sector companies. It is comprised of eight initiatives:

Initiative One: Attracting international trading companies

This seeks to attract global export and re-export companies to the UAE by identifying untapped business opportunities in the UAE's trade network, particularly nations with which the UAE has concluded Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements. It will use advanced trade analytics to identify high-demand goods in global markets, identify emerging sectors in each CEPA partner, and monitor leading global export and re-export companies – all while outlining the competitive advantages of operating in the UAE.

The initiative aims to attract 1,000 new international trading companies to establish their headquarters in the UAE by analyzing markets and sectors in high demand.

The strategic partners in this initiative include the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Investment, the UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the local economic departments, Abu Dhabi Ports Group and DP World.

Initiative Two: UAE Export Portal

The development of an integrated digital platform that combines analysis, knowledge, and opportunities will enable exporters in the UAE to connect with global markets more quickly and efficiently. The UAE Export Portal will enable businesses to connect with trusted global buyers, take full advantage of each CEPA, and facilitate trade through clear guidance on customs duties and related procedures. The platform will also help to identify markets with rising demand using customs codes and AI-powered tools.

The initiative seeks to enable more than 10,000 companies to gain quick access to global markets.

The strategic partners in this initiative are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security.

Initiative Three: Ready2Trade

This initiative will deliver online and offline training modules to develop the skills exporters in the UAE need to compete globally. It will incorporate advanced workshops and training courses on target-market selection, global demand assessment, and international sales strategies, as well as basic training on export procedures, compliance with international standards, preparation of trade documents, and regulatory requirements.

The initiative will train and build capacity for more than 10,000 companies in the UAE to compete globally.

Initiative Four: UAE Trade Days

Trade promotional events will be organized in selected countries to showcase UAE products and services and develop sustainable, customer-buyer networks. In these events, Emirati exporters and international importers will be able to build trust and mutually beneficial opportunities.

The initiative will launch a series of promotional missions and business meetings in selected markets.

Initiative Five: UAE International Trade Expo

A global event hosted by the UAE will create an international platform of interaction between importers and exporters, and between companies, governments and institutions such as the World Trade and Investment Conference. National pavilions for each participating country will showcase ready-made projects.

The Expo aims to attract 600 companies from 50 countries, with a total of 100,000 visitors.

Initiative Six: UAE Traders of the Future Programme

This initiative will prepare a new generation of Emirati traders by developing the skills and confidence needed to compete globally. This includes learning about the mechanisms of building commercial networks and partnerships, understanding the global trade ecosystem, trade finance and risk management, and accessing and using digital platforms.

The programme will seek to graduate 100 qualifies Emirati traders annually.

Initiative Seven: Young Traders Programme

This initiative seeks to engage high school and university students in trade opportunities. It will offer an introduction to global trade, explain a product's journey from origin to market, teach the basics of business and technology in business, and organize field visits and interactive sessions.

The programme will engage school and university students in understanding and shaping the country’s foreign trade,

Initiative Eight: Leveraging AI to Optimize Foreign Trade

AI can support smarter, faster and more flexible foreign trade management mechanisms through real-time analytics and forecasting global market trends. The Ministry of Foreign Trade will support the deployment of AI in the trade and logistics sector that can analyze millions of data points from ports, shipping routes and customs records, forecast supply-chain disruption, and enhance risk management through demand forecasting in the fastest-growing markets.

The initiative will develop 15 intelligent systems for market forecasting, risk management and supply chains.

Together, the UAE Global Centre of Tarde will cement the country’s position as the world’s leading hub for international commerce. Overseen by the Ministry of Foreign Trade, this initiative promises to enhance the UAE’s non-oil trade, empower its exporters, and attract global companies that can increase trade flows from, into and through the UAE.