Yaound©: The UAE participated in the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), held in the capital of Cameroon, Yaound©. The UAE delegation was led by Fahad Al Gergawi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Trade, and included officials from the Ministry of Foreign Trade, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates, and the UAE's representation to the World Trade Organisation in Geneva.
According to Emirates News Agency, at the conference, Al Gergawi emphasised that restrictive trade measures threaten to fragment the global economy, weaken economic growth, and elevate both inflationary pressures and unemployment rates. The UAE also sought to mobilise international support to maintain international trade flows and enhance the resilience of the global economy in the face of current events.
Al Gergawi stated that the UAE's participation at MC14 comes amidst significant transformations and challenges facing the global trading system. With increasing risks associated with trade wars and tariffs, and barriers to the flow of goods reappearing, the UAE remains committed to safeguarding the benefits of open, rules-based trade. The participation in Cameroon reflects the UAE's status as an influential player in international trade and its desire to build consensus around pro-trade, anti-protectionist measures.
Al Gergawi further noted that the UAE's openness to the world, and its integration into global supply chains, can serve as a model for other countries, especially given the country's record trade growth. In 2025, the UAE's non-oil foreign trade reached AED3.8 trillion (US$1.03 trillion), representing a growth of 27 percent over 2024. This increase was supported by substantial growth in non-oil exports and facilitated by the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs) programme, which provides UAE exporters with access to one quarter of the world's population.
The UAE delegation also used the opportunity of MC14 to strengthen its partnerships and explore new horizons for trade cooperation with African countries. On the sidelines of the conference, the UAE delegation held bilateral meetings, including with representatives from Austria, the Bahamas, New Zealand, Peru, Guatemala, and Costa Rica, among others.
The Ministerial Conference is the highest decision-making body in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and brings together trade ministers and senior officials from the 166 member states. This year's edition is significant, as it is the second to be hosted by an African country after the 10th Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2015, highlighting the growing interest in the African continent's role in the multilateral trading system.