UAE Participates in BRICS Business Forum, Showcases Strengthening Ties and Trade Growth
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, 5th July, 2025 – The United Arab Emirates (UAE), represented by Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, has actively participated in the recently concluded BRICS Business Forum on the sidelines of the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
During the Forum, Al Zeyoudi emphasized the UAE’s strong relationships with BRICS nations and the community’s critical role in driving innovation, accelerating trade, and fostering cross-border investment. He advocated deeper cooperation in pivotal sectors such as logistics, agriculture, renewable energy, technology, and healthcare.
The BRICS Business Forum convened leaders and business representatives from the community’s 10 member nations – Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, and the UAE – facilitating an important platform to discuss how their public and private sectors can collaborate amid a complex economic and geopolitical climate.
The UAE’s participation highlights its commitment to constructive collaboration and the pursuit of mutually beneficial global partnerships. The Forum concluded with the endorsement of various initiatives that aim to deepen economic cooperation and foster new private sector partnerships that will enhance trade and investment flows.
According to Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, “The BRICS community provides a compelling model for growth in the current economic climate. Each of us are seeking economic growth based on investment, innovation, entrepreneurship and trade relationships free from barriers and bureaucracy. This is how the UAE is building our next chapter of economic development, from attracting FDI and fostering new, technology-driven industries to securing free-trade deals with like-minded nations such as BRICS members India, Indonesia and Russia.
We are eager to maximize this relationship to the fullest extent and build upon these strong foundations in vital economic sectors including energy, logistics, technology, healthcare and food security.”
Al Zeyoudi was also accompanied in Brazil by Saleh Ahmad Salem Alzaraim Al Suwaidi, the UAE’s Ambassador to Brazil.
The UAE and BRICS nations have recorded robust trade growth. In 2024, the countries shared non-oil trade worth US$243 billion, marking a 10.5% increase on 2023. This momentum has continued in 2025, with non-oil trade reaching $68.3 billion in the first quarter, reflecting a year-on-year growth rate of 18.2%, and 2.4% more than Q4, 2024.
The UAE’s total non-oil exports to BRICS countries rose to US$39.4 billion in 2024, nearly double the level from 2019, while re-exports reached USD$50.5 billion. The UAE ranks 14th globally among BRICS trading partners and 5th for internal trade among BRICS nations, trailing only China, Russia, India, and Brazil.
The BRICS community—originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa before expanding to ten members in 2025—represents approximately 40% of the world’s population and around 25% of global GDP. The UAE’s membership, which began in 2024, underscores its strategic focus on expanding diplomatic and economic ties with emerging markets worldwide, further solidifying its role in driving global economic growth and prosperity.
Team V.4-EM-UAE
