Australia and the UAE are countries with forward-looking agendas: ambitious, technology-driven and globally connected. As ambassadors, we meet people every day whose lives reflect the strength of the UAE-Australia relationship, linking our countries in ways that statistics alone cannot capture.
As we look back on the past 12 months and forward through next year, our two nations stand at a historic inflection point. Earlier this month, the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, or Cepa, entered into force, coinciding with 50 years of diplomatic relations; Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to Abu Dhabi; and the elevation of the UAE-Australia relationship to a strategic partnership.
The results of our close co-operation were already evident. Last year, Australia’s non-oil trade with the UAE reached $4.2 billion, reflecting a 36 per cent growth compared to 2021 and maintaining the strong levels achieved in 2023. Meanwhile, two-way investment stock stood at $16 billion by the end of last year, with $3 billion of direct investment in Australia from the UAE. These figures underscore the resilience and growth of the UAE-Australia economic partnership and its importance as a foundation for future co-operation across priority sectors.
Australian brands such as Chemist Warehouse and Boost Juice have flourished in the UAE, while Emirati companies such as Emirates airline, Etihad Airways, dnata and DP World have become integral to Australia’s infrastructure and logistics operations. These are not one-way flows but mutually reinforcing exchanges that create jobs, connect communities and demonstrate the resilience of our partnership.
The Cepa marks a new chapter in bilateral relations aimed at increasing trade, promoting private-sector collaboration and facilitating investment flows. It is Australia’s first free trade agreement in the Middle East and North Africa. When fully implemented, more than 99 per cent of Australia’s exports will enter the UAE duty-free. In the other direction, 100 per cent of UAE exports will enjoy duty-free access to Australia’s market, benefiting the UAE’s top exports including polymers, glass, vehicles and metals such as steel, copper and aluminium.
In times of unprecedented global trade disruptions, our growing trade and investment ties testify to the strategic trust that we place in each other. Through the Cepa and the strategic partnership, we will aim to drive innovation in renewable energy, artificial intelligence, maritime trade and advanced logistics – sectors that will define the economies of tomorrow and support long-term economic prosperity.
What truly distinguishes the UAE-Australia relationship, however, is the human dimension. More than 25,000 Australians live and work in the UAE, enriching society with their expertise in areas such as education, health care and business. Emirati students are increasingly choosing Australia for their studies, with numbers tripling over the past two years. Meanwhile, Australian universities in the UAE continue to nurture the next generation of innovators.
This moment carries deep personal significance for both of us. These personal connections are the heartbeat of our relationship, and they remind us that diplomacy is not only about agreements and frameworks, but about people.
The agreement contains Australia’s first-ever indigenous trade and economic co-operation chapter in our free trade agreement history. Building on emerging cultural links with the UAE, Cepa will help Australia’s First Nations business sector share in the enormous potential of this region and provide a platform for Australia’s First Nations businesses to export their unique products and services in support of our shared goals and challenges.
We have spoken to many Emirati students who describe their time in Australia as life-changing, and with the many Australians in the UAE who feel just as proud to contribute to the UAE’s growth. These stories inspire us because they capture the essence of what our two nations can achieve together.
As we mark 50 years of diplomacy, our journey is only beginning. The Cepa is a foundation, not a conclusion. The strategic partnership will be the framework for the decades ahead, guiding co-operation in the areas that matter most – sustainability, technology, security and cultural exchange. Together, the UAE and Australia can demonstrate how nations from different regions and traditions can align their strengths for our collective benefit.
As ambassadors, we feel immense pride in what we have built together but also in what lies ahead. The past 50 years have given us friendship. The next 50 must deliver a partnership that is bold, innovative and transformative. At a time when the world often looks inward, the UAE and Australia are choosing to look outward, to each other, and to the future.
Fahad Al Taffaq is the UAE’s ambassador to Australia. Ridwaan Jadwat is the Australian ambassador to the UAE
