A new trade agreement between the UAE and Russia covering services and investment has officially come into force, creating a framework aimed at improving market access and investment protections between the two countries.
Agreement signed in 2025
The Trade in Services and Investment Agreement (TISIA) was signed in Moscow on August 8, 2025, during UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s visit to Russia.
The agreement was signed by UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov.
The TISIA focuses on services and investment, complementing the Economic Partnership Agreement between the UAE and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which covers trade in goods.
Together, the agreements provide a framework covering goods, services and investment between the UAE and Russia.
Focus on key sectors
The agreement sets rules for services trade and cross-border investment, with the UAE government saying it will help reduce market entry barriers, support the movement of professionals and provide greater certainty for businesses.
Priority areas include fintech, healthcare, transport, logistics and professional services.
Al Zeyoudi said: “The entry into force of the UAE-Russia TISIA, alongside the Economic Partnership Agreement with the EAEU, represents the full activation of a comprehensive trade and investment framework that will unlock significant opportunities for businesses and investors in both nations. Russia is a major economic partner for the UAE, with bilateral non-oil trade reaching US$20.4 billion in 2025, and this agreement will deepen collaboration across priority services sectors including fintech, healthcare, transport, logistics and professional services, driving long-term, sustainable growth and shared prosperity.”
UAE-Russia trade grows
UAE-Russia non-oil trade reached US$20.4 billion in 2025, up 77.7% from 2024 and almost double the US$10.8 billion recorded in 2022.
Russia is one of the five members of the EAEU, a regional bloc with a combined population of about 200 million and a GDP of nearly US$5 trillion. The UAE signed an Economic Partnership Agreement with the EAEU in 2025.
The TISIA is part of the UAE’s wider trade strategy, which aims to raise non-oil foreign trade to US$1.1 trillion by 2031. The UAE’s Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) programme has concluded 38 agreements since its launch in September 2021, with 18 currently in force.
tanvir@dubainewsweek.com
