UAE-Belarus trade in services and investment agreement enters into force
In short
The Trade in Services and Investment Agreement (TISIA) between the UAE and Belarus entered into force on Wednesday, after being signed in Minsk on 27 June 2025. The UAE's Minister of Foreign Trade, Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, said it creates a more predictable framework for services trade and investment and improves market access and investor protections. The bilateral deal complements the Economic Partnership Agreement between the UAE and the Eurasian Economic Union, which Economy Middle East reported took effect a day earlier.
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The Trade in Services and Investment Agreement (TISIA) between the United Arab Emirates and Belarus officially entered into force on Wednesday, the UAE state news agency WAM reported, opening a new phase in bilateral economic relations. The agreement was signed in Minsk on 27 June 2025 and establishes a dedicated bilateral framework for services and investment, according to WAM, Economy Middle East and Gulf News. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
The documents state the agreement is designed to enhance market access for services providers, strengthen protections for investors and create new opportunities for private-sector cooperation. Minister of Foreign Trade Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi said the entry into force was “an important step in our shared commitment to fostering long-term, mutually beneficial economic growth”, adding that it “creates a more predictable framework for services trade and investment”. He said Belarus “occupies an important position within the Eurasian Economic Union” and that cooperation would cover financial and professional services, consulting, education, healthcare, technology and logistics. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
The TISIA complements the Economic Partnership Agreement between the UAE and the Eurasian Economic Union, which addresses trade in goods at the regional level, the documents said. Economy Middle East reported the UAE-EAEU agreement entered into force on Tuesday and covers Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and the Russian Federation, with the sides granting preferential access across more than 86 percent of tariff lines, covering approximately 96 percent of the value of goods currently traded. That outlet said the agreement is expected to support an increase in annual trade between the two markets to nearly $50 billion by 2032. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Economy Middle East's headline put UAE-Belarus non-oil trade at $316.4 million, while Gulf News's headline referred to the UAE-EAEU trade deal taking effect as bilateral trade hits $33.6 billion. Neither outlet's article text in these documents identifies which trade measure the larger figure covers. [ 2 , 4 ]
According to WAM and Gulf News, the TISIA is intended to reduce barriers to market entry, facilitate investment flows and encourage joint ventures in areas of mutual interest, and to give businesses and investors clearer rules and greater certainty when operating across both countries. [ 1 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The agreement gives services providers and investors in both countries a bilateral legal framework alongside the UAE-EAEU goods agreement, which Economy Middle East said covers preferential access on more than 86 percent of tariff lines. The UAE government presents Belarus as a route into the wider Eurasian Economic Union market, so the deal is framed as opening access beyond one country. Documents give no figures for how much services trade or investment the agreement is expected to generate.
Key facts
- The Trade in Services and Investment Agreement (TISIA) between the UAE and Belarus entered into force on Wednesday 7 October 2026. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- The agreement was signed in Minsk on 27 June 2025. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- It is intended to enhance market access for services providers, strengthen investor protections and create opportunities for private-sector cooperation. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- It complements the Economic Partnership Agreement between the UAE and the Eurasian Economic Union, which covers trade in goods at regional level. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Economy Middle East reported the UAE-EAEU Economic Partnership Agreement entered into force on Tuesday, with preferential access across more than 86 percent of tariff lines, covering about 96 percent of the value of goods currently traded. [ 2 ]
- Economy Middle East reported the UAE-EAEU deal is expected to support an increase in annual trade between the two markets to nearly $50 billion by 2032. [ 2 ]
- Economy Middle East's headline put UAE-Belarus non-oil trade at $316.4 million. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- TISIA entered into force on Wednesday, 7 October 2026. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- The agreement was signed in Minsk on 27 June 2025. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- TISIA establishes a bilateral framework for services and investment and complements the UAE-EAEU Economic Partnership Agreement on goods trade. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Minister of Foreign Trade Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi said the agreement creates a more predictable framework for services trade and investment. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- Gulf News's headline referred to the UAE-EAEU trade deal taking effect as bilateral trade hits $33.6 billion. The figure appears only in the headline of one document and its article text does not state which two-way trade it measures, so it cannot be matched to the $316.4 million non-oil trade figure reported elsewhere.
- Details of the TISIA's sector coverage and terms beyond financial and professional services, consulting, education, healthcare, technology and logistics. The documents list sectors named by the minister but do not set out the agreement's full scope or timelines.
- The value of UAE-Belarus services trade or investment covered by the new agreement. No document gives figures specifically for services or investment flows; only a headline figure for non-oil trade is provided.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- WAM reports the UAE-Belarus TISIA officially entered into force. [ 1 ]
- Economy Middle East publishes its report, citing the entry into force and adding UAE-EAEU trade details and the $316.4 million non-oil trade figure in its headline. [ 2 ]
- Gulf News reports the agreement opens new opportunities for investors and service firms. [ 4 ]