HE Al Zeyoudi: ‘What this moment has done is accelerate the timelines of existing plans, and underscore the wisdom of building an open, diversified, and resilient trade architecture before it is needed.’
Prague, Czech Republic – 24th May, 2026: His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister for Foreign Trade, participated in ‘The Ripple Effect: How the Iran War is Shaping Global Economies and Politics’ panel at the GLOBSEC Forum 2026 in Prague, outlining the UAE’s response to the disruption of global trade routes and reaffirming the country’s position as a stable and resilient trade hub.
Addressing senior policymakers, business leaders, and international officials, HE Al Zeyoudi detailed the immediate and structural measures the UAE has implemented since the onset of the conflict, including the activation of alternative trade corridors, including the UAE’s eastern ports of Fujairah and Khorfakkan, air freight bridges for time-critical pharmaceutical and food cargo, a Green Corridor with Oman, and a new Sharjah-Dammam trade bridge. HE Al Zeyoudi also noted that the UAE also deployed an AED 1 billion economic support fund to ensure business continuity and targeted relief for SMEs, alongside a Five-Pillar Financial Institution Resilience Package launched by the Central Bank to sustain credit flows.
‘The fundamental redesign of Gulf logistics that we were undertaking over a decade is now being compressed into years,’ said HE Al Zeyoudi. ‘What this moment has done is accelerate the timelines of existing plans, and underscore the wisdom of building an open, diversified, and resilient trade architecture before it is needed.’
On the UAE’s long-term trade vision, HE Al Zeyoudi affirmed that the country’s CEPA programme – which has produced 36 agreements with partners across six continents and contributed to non-oil foreign trade of US$1.03 trillion in 2025 – remains a vital avenue for the UAE to continue positive momentum in its foreign trade.
‘Nothing that we have achieved in the last five years has been undone or unwound,’ said HE Al Zeyoudi. ‘The UAE is a bridge to high-growth markets across the Gulf, Africa and Asia, and a partner for trade, logistics, investment and technology. That role has not diminished. It has become more important.’