UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence Omar Sultan Al Olama met President Daniel Noboa in Quito this week as the two countries push forward on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement expected to widen trade and investment ties between the UAE and Ecuador.
Al Olama conveyed greetings from Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan to the Ecuadorian government during the meeting. The talks covered cooperation in trade, investment, artificial intelligence, infrastructure and development. Noboa visited the UAE in February 2026 and met with Sheikh Mohamed during that trip.
What the CEPA changes
The agreement, announced during the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's official visit to Quito in March 2026, is designed to lower tariffs, remove trade barriers and support public-private partnerships in clean energy, advanced technology, mining, logistics and agriculture. Once it takes effect, it is expected to increase trade and investment flows between the two countries.
Ecuador is now the UAE's fourth Latin American CEPA partner, joining Colombia, Costa Rica and Chile in a growing network of agreements across the region.
The economic case for deeper ties is already visible in the numbers. Bilateral non-oil trade between the UAE and Ecuador reached $373.6 million in 2025, up 3.2 percent from 2024, and more than three times its 2019 value.
Wider talks across Ecuador's government
Beyond the meeting with Noboa, Al Olama held separate discussions with several members of Ecuador's cabinet. With Roberto Kury, Ecuador's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, he discussed humanitarian assistance, development, regional developments, peace efforts, energy security and water security. Kury said: "We look forward to turning our shared understandings and action plans into effective partnerships in strategic sectors that support development and further strengthen relations."
Al Olama also met with Sariha Moya, Minister of Economy and Finance; Gian Carlo Loffredo, Minister of National Defense; and Roberto Luque, Minister of Infrastructure and Technology, covering areas within each ministry's remit.
Parliamentary cooperation
The visit also touched on legislative ties. The UAE-Ecuador Parliamentary Friendship Group was established on June 30, 2025, and Al Olama met with members of Ecuador's National Assembly, including Esteban Torres, Sade Rashel Fritschi Naranjo and Ricardo Falla, to discuss parliamentary cooperation between the two countries.
This week's trip follows an earlier visit by Al Olama to Quito in June 2025, when he worked to reinforce political, economic and trade relations between the UAE and Ecuador. The latest round of meetings suggests both governments are now moving from framework agreements toward implementation, with the CEPA positioned as the mechanism through which sectors such as clean energy, technology, mining, logistics and agriculture could see new investment once the deal is in force.