Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, the UAE’s Minister of Foreign Trade, met with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema during an official visit to strengthen economic cooperation and unlock new investment opportunities across priority sectors.
The delegation held separate discussions with several Zambian ministers covering energy, finance, technology, agriculture, health, and commerce, in what officials described as a coordinated push to broaden commercial engagement.
A ministerial roundtable involving both governments and private sector representatives focused on improving trade facilitation, strengthening supply chains, and boosting private sector participation.
Central to the discussions was progress toward finalising a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which both sides believe could expand market access for goods and services while creating a more structured investment framework.
The growing economic relationship is already evident in trade data. Non-oil trade between the two countries reached $3.4 billion in 2025, marking a sharp 64.5 percent increase from the previous year and underscoring rising commercial momentum between the Gulf state and the resource-rich African economy.
Al Zeyoudi described Zambia as “a significant economic partner” and said discussions centred on expanding trade volumes and aligning economic priorities to support sustainable growth.
The visiting delegation included companies across agriculture, mining, renewable energy, logistics, aviation, healthcare, the digital economy, and infrastructure, underscoring strong commercial interest in Zambia’s market.
Officials from both sides emphasised that sustained private sector collaboration and structured economic dialogue will be critical to maintaining the upward trajectory of UAE-Zambia trade relations.
