UAE, Angola sign cepa during state visit: Foreign Trade Minister Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and Angolan Industry and Commerce Minister Rui Miguêns de Oliveira yesterday signed a trade and economic partnership agreement aiming to boost trade to USD 10 bn by 2033 in Luanda, state news agency Wam reports. The exchange took place during President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s state visit to Angola, which began earlier this week, aimed at boosting economic and development cooperation.

By the numbers: The agreement is expected to add about USD 1 bn to each country’s GDP and create nearly 30k new jobs. Trade between the two countries stood at USD 2.2 bn in 2024, with non-oil trade rising 29.7% y-o-y to USD 1.4 bn in 1H 2025.

What we know: The pact will lower tariffs, ease trade barriers, and expand market access for goods and services. It also covers high-growth sectors such as gemstones, mining, agri-tech, and digital trade, Wam cites Al Zeyoudi as saying separately. It will pave the way for some USD 993.6 mn in glass, fish, fruits, and optical goods from Angola to the UAE, and USD 235 mn in exports from the UAE of machinery, plastics, rubber, ferrous metals, chemicals, and mineral products.

Background: The UAE already imports diamonds, gold, and other minerals, as well as grains, from Angola, making up 99.8% of total imports. Meanwhile, key UAE exports to Angola include light petroleum distillates, iron and steel, taps and valves, metal structures and parts, cigarettes, and perfumes.

The two countries also inked several MoUs, including:

  • An MoU on AI between Interior Minister Sheikh Saif bin Zayed and Angola’s Economic Coordination Minister José de Lima Massan;
  • A banking cooperation pact between the Central Bank of the UAE and the National Bank of Angola;
  • An agriculture agreement between UAE agribusiness Al Dahra and Angola’s Agriculture and Forestry Ministry;

UAE firms are already active in Angola: Masdar is developing a 150 MW solar project, Dubai Investments is building a USD 500 mn 2k-hectare industrial park, and AD Ports Group is developing a multipurpose terminal at Luanda Port.

More cooperation is expected: President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Angolan President João Manuel Lourenço discussed cooperation in energy, technology, agriculture, food security, and logistics, and exchanged views on regional and international issues, stressing the importance of joint efforts to support global stability, Wam reports. The two countries also agreed to boost cooperation in services sectors including logistics, construction, engineering, healthcare, education, and telecommunications.

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