UAE's Contribution to Economic Integration Discussions
His Excellency Saeed Rashid Al Abdi, a member of the Federal National Council, represented the UAE at the fourth session of the Marrakech Parliamentary Economic Forum for the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf regions, currently hosted by the House of Councillors in Morocco. During his participation, Al Abdi addressed pressing global issues surrounding economic integration, free trade, and public debt. He highlighted a noticeable decline in free trade, attributing it to protectionist policies, tariffs, and the use of economic leverage as a political tool. Furthermore, he noted that regional tensions and the disruption of maritime routes have significantly increased transportation, energy, and insurance costs, leading to weakened trade and investment flows.
Al Abdi emphasized that the challenge lies not in the absence of agreements but rather in the fragility of trust and stability. Some nations are opting to protect their markets at the expense of economic openness and international integration. He reiterated that the UAE considers free trade to be a cornerstone for establishing any developed and sustainable regional integration. The UAE's economy has emerged as a prominent player in regional trade liberalization, with external trade reaching approximately 3.8 trillion AED in the previous year, 2025.
He further stressed that any threat to regional security or maritime routes, as well as to freedom of trade and energy, has direct repercussions on the global economy and developmental stability. In this context, the UAE firmly rejects any acts aimed at undermining regional security or disrupting international trade, due to their severe impacts on supply chains, energy markets, and investor confidence. Al Abdi highlighted the necessity of ensuring regional stability as an economic and developmental imperative that directly affects the interests of nations and the future of sustainable development.
Call for Practical Parliamentary Pathways
Al Abdi urged the forum to produce a practical parliamentary pathway to address economic integration issues between Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Gulf. This should encompass free trade, investment facilitation, supply chain flexibility, public debt oversight, and economic empowerment for women. Additionally, he called for legislative cooperation that transforms political visions into tangible results, linking growth with stability, investment with responsibility, and trade with peace and mutual development.
As reported by albayan.ae.
