UAE-Ukraine trade deal would shore up Middle East food security
The goal is to ultimately secure "all aspects of the international food production supply chain."
The United Arab Emirates announced last week that it has opened discussions with Ukraine over a potential free trade deal known as a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in order to liberalize trade flows.
The news comes at a time when Ukraine, one of the world’s largest exporters of wheat and grain, is looking for ways to support its war-damaged economy, while the UAE is seeking to ensure its food security.
According to UAE’s minister of state for foreign trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, trade, the deal will open access to other continents. It will “offer a raft of new opportunities for our exporters, investors and manufacturers, while also opening up access to new markets in Asia, Africa and the Middle East for Ukraine’s agricultural and industrial output," Zeyoudi said last week.
