His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and President of Ecuador Daniel Noboa have announced the signing of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the two nations on Sunday.
The announcement was made during the Crown Prince's official visit to Ecuador at the Carondelet Palace in Quito, where an official reception ceremony was held, and the national anthems of the UAE and Ecuador were performed.
The ceremony also featured the announcement of a cooperation agreement between the UAE Ministry of Investment and Ecuador’s Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investments, and Fisheries, to further explore investment opportunities across priority sectors of mutual interest.
A total investment value exceeding $3 billion is currently under discussion between the two countries, reflecting the depth of bilateral cooperation and opening new horizons for economic partnership across priority sectors.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was further unveiled between EDGE Group and Ecuador’s Ministry of National Defence to strengthen collaboration in security infrastructure under a joint programme valued at $250 million, with a focus on advancing surveillance systems and enhancing border protection capabilities.
The meeting also explored avenues to deepen the UAE-Ecuador partnership and broaden cooperation in priority sectors, including food security and sustainable agriculture, clean and renewable energy, and advanced technology.
The UAE is a key trading partner for Ecuador in the Arab region and Africa, with non-oil trade between the two nations reaching approximately US$373.6 million in 2025, marking notable growth compared to previous years.
The CEPA aims to reduce tariffs and remove barriers to bilateral trade by strengthening cooperation and building strategic partnerships between the public and private sectors.
It focuses on priority areas including clean energy, advanced technology, mining, logistics, and agriculture, among other sectors of mutual interest.
Ecuador has become the fourth Latin American country to sign a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the UAE, following Costa Rica in April 2025, Chile in November 2025, and Colombia in April 2024.
The agreement forms part of the UAE’s ongoing efforts to expand its trade partnership network in the region, with negotiations currently underway with Peru to conclude a similar agreement.
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