Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, confirmed that «the volume of non-oil bilateral trade between the UAE and Kuwait reached approximately 54.5 billion dirhams (equivalent to 14.8 billion dollars) in 2025, marking a 9.1% annual increase compared to 2024, while the value of mutual investments exceeded 10 billion dollars by the end of 2024, with over 60% of that being from the UAE to Kuwait».These remarks were made by Al Zeyoudi during the «UAE-Kuwait Economic Forum», held yesterday in Dubai as part of the «UAE and Kuwait: Brothers Forever» week, which continues until tomorrow across all emirates of the country.Al Zeyoudi stated in his forum speech: «The UAE and Kuwait share brilliant chapters of cooperation and integration, written in golden letters in history, which remind us that decades before the UAE's establishment, Kuwaiti traders were among the first to see trade and investment opportunities in the Emirates. A number of them settled in the Souq Al Marashid, named after the renowned Kuwaiti merchant, Marashid Al Essa, in the 1940s and 1950s, contributing to the trade of wood, pearls, and re-export. Marashid Al Essa himself founded the first cinema in Dubai about 70 years ago».He added: «During that era, Kuwaiti traders carried not just goods and commodities, but also ideas, knowledge, and trust between the peoples of the two brotherly nations».He continued: «The sea formed the deepest bond between the UAE and Kuwait. In the pre-oil era, the economies of both nations depended on pearl diving and maritime trade. Merchant vessels (dhows) moved in a single network extending from the Gulf to India and East Africa, with Kuwaiti traders being the most organized in the Gulf, benefiting from UAE ports, including Dubai and Sharjah, as part of one single cross-border trading system».Al Zeyoudi continued: «The historical relationship between the two countries tells the stories of families that formed pillars of continuous trade across generations. Kuwaiti families started in pearl trading and then moved to real estate and financial services in the country, while Emirati families expanded their investments in Kuwait in sectors like aviation, ports, and industry. These stories illustrate how the partnership evolved from seasonal trade into a deep-rooted, enduring economic and social bond».He pointed out that the story of the eternal brotherhood between the UAE and Kuwait is not just about thriving trade figures or data on reciprocal investment flows, but is a narrative of merchants who were pioneers in documenting the relationship, a maritime trade route that united rather than divided, and trust that transformed into institutions and then a unique Gulf model for integration. It is a relationship built by ambitious individuals that matured with the nation's formation and continues today through a modern economy, without losing its deep-rooted human foundations.He explained that the holding of the «UAE-Kuwait Economic Forum» comes at a time when the historical relations between the two brotherly nations are witnessing an unprecedented momentum, reflecting the shared will of their leaderships to continue elevating these relations to broader levels of strategic partnership and integration in all fields, at the heart of which are, of course, the trade and investment links.In turn, Assistant Minister of Commerce and Industry for the State of Kuwait, Mervat Al-Jaidan, confirmed in her speech at the forum that «the relations between Kuwait and the UAE represent a solid model for joint Gulf cooperation, based on deep-rooted ties of brotherhood and partnership extending across various fields, foremost among them being the economy, trade, and investment».Al-Jaidan, at the outset of her speech, expressed her sincere thanks and appreciation to the UAE—leadership, government, and people—for the excellent organization and generous hospitality, highly valuing the directive of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him, to dedicate an entire week to celebrate the UAE-Kuwaiti relations across all emirates of the country.She clarified that «the relations between Kuwait and the UAE are not a product of the moment, but span decades of cooperation in construction and development, which has helped cement a partnership based on integration, unity of purpose, and destiny».She noted that the economic relations between the two countries have shown significant growth in recent years, with the volume of trade reaching about 14 billion dollars by the end of 2024, which reflects the growing vitality of the economic partnership, pointing to the continued growth of tourism relations through more than 170 weekly flights between the two countries.
