Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Economy, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, hosted a high-level UAE-Argentina economic seminar in Abu Dhabi. This event brought together senior government officials and business leaders from both nations to explore new trade and investment opportunities.
According to Emirates News Agency, the seminar was attended by Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, and Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED). The event saw participation from a distinguished Argentinian delegation led by Gerardo Werthein, Argentina's Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship.
The seminar was organized on the sidelines of an official visit by Argentina's Minister of Foreign Affairs and focused on the newly launched investment framework, the Incentive Regime for Large Investments (RIGI). This framework aims to benefit international investors and create a more competitive environment.
Dr. Al Zeyoudi emphasized the UAE's commitment to strengthening economic ties with Argentina and unlocking new opportunities for investment. He highlighted Argentina as an important economic partner for the UAE, recognizing significant opportunities to enhance trade and investment flows. He also promoted the UAE's pro-business regulatory environment, global connectivity, advanced infrastructure, and strategic location, which offer Argentinian businesses an ideal platform for international expansion.
Werthein emphasized the importance of strengthening economic and trade cooperation with the UAE, stating that the launch of RIGI is a pivotal step toward creating an investor-friendly environment. He highlighted the framework's potential to attract Emirati investments into Argentina's priority sectors, such as mining, energy, infrastructure, and technology.
The RIGI program offers the global investment community access to projects in key sectors of the Argentinian economy. It aims to attract large-scale international investments by providing regulatory stability, tax incentives, and long-term predictability for foreign investors.
The UAE-Argentina seminar concluded with a commitment from both nations to continue strengthening economic collaboration, exploring joint investment projects, and new areas of cooperation. This builds on growing non-oil trade, which reached US$537.1 million in 2024, a 68% increase from 2019. Major Argentinian exports to the UAE include corn, iron pipes, and soybean products, while the UAE exports high-value machinery and tools to Argentina.
In 2018, the two nations signed a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) to foster a transparent and secure investment environment for businesses. The UAE continues to explore closer engagement with South American countries, including Argentina, through discussions with Mercosur to enhance market access and trade flows across the region.