UAE and Benin seal comprehensive economic partnership in Abu Dhabi

The United Arab Emirates and Benin moved to deepen economic ties on Sunday with the signing of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in Abu Dhabi. President Sheikh Mohamed and Benin’s President Romuald Wadagni attended the ceremony.

Signing details

UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi and Benin’s Minister of Tourism and Foreign Trade, Olushegun Adjadi Bakari, executed the agreement on behalf of their respective governments.

Key provisions and trade growth

Once the deal is ratified, it will reduce or eliminate customs duties on a broad spectrum of goods, remove trade barriers and improve access to markets for service providers and investors. The agreement comes against a backdrop of swiftly expanding bilateral commerce: non-oil trade between the two countries reached 2.15 billion dollars in 2025, a 65 per cent increase from 2024 and more than double the 1.01 billion dollars recorded in 2021.

Trade momentum has carried into 2026. In the first half of the year, non-oil bilateral trade stood at 1.29 billion dollars, a 37.4 per cent increase year on year.

Sheikh Mohamed said the agreement “marks a significant milestone” in bilateral relations. It reflects, he added, “a common ambition to achieve long-term development aims, create new opportunities for our business communities, strengthen economic resilience, and contribute to prosperity and stability in our regions.”

Mr Wadagni emphasised the agreement’s importance in advancing shared sustainable development objectives.