Abu Dhabi hosts Arab-Central Asian economic partnership to boost trade
Arab countries, Central Asian states and Azerbaijan concluded a landmark economic partnership in Abu Dhabi on Thursday aimed at boosting trade and investment between the two regions.
The “Conference on Arab Business and Investment with the Countries of Central Asia and Azerbaijan” brought together economy, trade and investment ministers at the Investopia 2025 summit, held under the patronage of the?UAE’s Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Strengthening cross-regional investments
Ministers discussed methods to enhance economic cooperation and investment in key sectors, emphasising the importance of developing connected transport routes and strong logistics networks to facilitate trade.
The conference was organised by the UAE in collaboration with the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States, building upon a Memorandum of Cooperation signed in 2014 and the “Doha Declaration 2024” issued earlier this year.
“The ministers supported the ongoing efforts to enhance trade and economic cooperation and encourage investment between their countries in order to achieve joint benefits,” according to the communiqué released after the conference.
Participants specifically endorsed the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, known as the Middle Corridor, to enhance connectivity between the regions.
The ministers highlighted the strategic importance of cooperation in sectors including energy security, renewable energy, sustainable development, supply chain resilience, transportation, food security, and digital transformation.
They also agreed to create a joint database of private sector representatives from both regions to facilitate business connections and enhance trade flows.
The communiqué announced that a second business and investment conference will be hosted by one of the Central Asian countries or Azerbaijan in 2027, continuing the economic partnership.