Australia and the UAE are countries with forward-looking agendas: ambitious, technology-driven and globally connected. As ambassadors, we meet people every day whose lives reflect the strength of the UAE-Australia relationship, linking our countries in ways that statistics alone cannot capture.
As we look back on the past 12 months and forward through next year, our two nations stand at a historic inflection point. Earlier this month, the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, or Cepa, entered into force, coinciding with 50 years of diplomatic relations; Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to Abu Dhabi; and the elevation of the UAE-Australia relationship to a strategic partnership.
The results of our close co-operation were already evident. Last year, Australia’s non-oil trade with the UAE reached $4.2 billion, reflecting a 36 per cent growth compared to 2021 and maintaining the strong levels achieved in 2023. Meanwhile, two-way investment stock stood at $16 billion by the end of last year, with $3 billion of direct investment in Australia from the UAE. These figures underscore the resilience and growth of the UAE-Australia economic partnership and its importance as a foundation for future co-operation across priority sectors.
Australian brands such as Chemist Warehouse and Boost Juice have flourished in the UAE, while Emirati companies such as Emirates airline, Etihad Airways, dnata and DP World have become integral to Australia’s infrastructure and logistics operations. These are not one-way flows but mutually reinforcing exchanges that create jobs, connect communities and demonstrate the resilience of our partnership.
The Cepa marks a new chapter in bilateral relations aimed at increasing trade, promoting private-sector collaboration and facilitating investment flows. It is Australia’s first free trade agreement in the Middle East and North Africa. When fully implemented, more than 99 per cent of Australia’s exports will enter the UAE duty-free. In the other direction, 100 per cent of UAE exports will enjoy duty-free access to Australia’s market, benefiting the UAE’s top exports including polymers, glass, vehicles and metals such as steel, copper and aluminium.
In times of unprecedented global trade disruptions, our growing trade and investment ties testify to the strategic trust that we place in each other. Through the Cepa and the strategic partnership, we will aim to drive innovation in renewable energy, artificial intelligence, maritime trade and advanced logistics – sectors that will define the economies of tomorrow and support long-term economic prosperity.
The past 50 years have given us friendship. The next 50 must deliver a partnership that is bold, innovative and transformative
What truly distinguishes the UAE-Australia relationship, however, is the human dimension. More than 25,000 Australians live and work in the UAE, enriching society with their expertise in areas such as education, health care and business. Emirati students are increasingly choosing Australia for their studies, with numbers tripling over the past two years. Meanwhile, Australian universities in the UAE continue to nurture the next generation of innovators.
This moment carries deep personal significance for both of us. These personal connections are the heartbeat of our relationship, and they remind us that diplomacy is not only about agreements and frameworks, but about people.
The agreement contains Australia’s first-ever indigenous trade and economic co-operation chapter in our free trade agreement history. Building on emerging cultural links with the UAE, Cepa will help Australia’s First Nations business sector share in the enormous potential of this region and provide a platform for Australia’s First Nations businesses to export their unique products and services in support of our shared goals and challenges.
We have spoken to many Emirati students who describe their time in Australia as life-changing, and with the many Australians in the UAE who feel just as proud to contribute to the UAE’s growth. These stories inspire us because they capture the essence of what our two nations can achieve together.
As we mark 50 years of diplomacy, our journey is only beginning. The Cepa is a foundation, not a conclusion. The strategic partnership will be the framework for the decades ahead, guiding co-operation in the areas that matter most – sustainability, technology, security and cultural exchange. Together, the UAE and Australia can demonstrate how nations from different regions and traditions can align their strengths for our collective benefit.
As ambassadors, we feel immense pride in what we have built together but also in what lies ahead. The past 50 years have given us friendship. The next 50 must deliver a partnership that is bold, innovative and transformative. At a time when the world often looks inward, the UAE and Australia are choosing to look outward, to each other, and to the future.
Fahad Al Taffaq is the UAE’s ambassador to Australia. Ridwaan Jadwat is the Australian ambassador to the UAE
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
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Manchester City 3 (Jesus 22', 50', Sterling 69')
Everton 1 (Calvert-Lewin 65')
THE DETAILS
Solo: A Star Wars Story
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Panipat
Director Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment
Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman
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UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
Europe's top EV producers
- Norway (63% of cars registered in 2021)
- Iceland (33%)
- Netherlands (20%)
- Sweden (19%)
- Austria (14%)
- Germany (14%)
- Denmark (13%)
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- United Kingdom (12%)
- Luxembourg (10%)
Source: VCOe
The five pillars of Islam
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
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Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
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Healthy tips to remember
Here, Dr Mohamed El Abiary, paediatric consultant at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai, shares some advice for parents whose children are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan:
Gradual fasting and golden points - For children under the age of 10, follow a step-by-step approach to fasting and don't push them beyond their limits. Start with a few hours fasting a day and increase it to a half fast and full fast when the child is ready. Every individual's ability varies as per the age and personal readiness. You could introduce a points system that awards the child and offers them encouragement when they make progress with the amount of hours they fast
Why fast? - Explain to your child why they are fasting. By shedding light on the importance of abstaining from food and drink, children may feel more encouraged to give it there all during the observance period. It is also a good opportunity to teach children about controlling urges, doing good for others and instilling healthy food habits
Sleep and suhoor - A child needs adequate sleep every night - at least eight hours. Make sure to set a routine early bedtime so he/she has sufficient time to wake up for suhoor, which is an essential meal at the beginning of the day
Good diet - Nutritious food is crucial to ensuring a healthy Ramadan for children. They must refrain from eating too much junk food as well as canned goods and snacks and drinks high in sugar. Foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and proteins, like fruits, fresh meats and vegetables, make for a good balanced diet
Thor: Ragnarok
Dir: Taika Waititi
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson
Four stars
Neymar's bio
Total club appearances 411
Total goals scored 241
Appearances for Barca 186
Goals scored for Barca 105
Points to remember
- Debate the issue, don't attack the person
- Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
- Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
- Listen actively without interrupting
- Avoid assumptions, seek understanding, ask questions
BMW M5 specs
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Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
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Price: From Dh650,000
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Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
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Rating: 3/5
How to help or find other cats to adopt
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
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Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
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Name: Brendalle Belaza
From: Crossing Rubber, Philippines
Arrived in the UAE: 2007
Favourite place in Abu Dhabi: NYUAD campus
Favourite photography style: Street photography
Favourite book: Harry Potter
Other must-tries
Tomato and walnut salad
A lesson in simple, seasonal eating. Wedges of tomato, chunks of cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, coriander or parsley leaves, and perhaps some fresh dill are drizzled with a crushed walnut and garlic dressing. Do consider yourself warned: if you eat this salad in Georgia during the summer months, the tomatoes will be so ripe and flavourful that every tomato you eat from that day forth will taste lacklustre in comparison.
Badrijani nigvzit
A delicious vegetarian snack or starter. It consists of thinly sliced, fried then cooled aubergine smothered with a thick and creamy walnut sauce and folded or rolled. Take note, even though it seems like you should be able to pick these morsels up with your hands, they’re not as durable as they look. A knife and fork is the way to go.
Pkhali
This healthy little dish (a nice antidote to the khachapuri) is usually made with steamed then chopped cabbage, spinach, beetroot or green beans, combined with walnuts, garlic and herbs to make a vegetable pâté or paste. The mix is then often formed into rounds, chilled in the fridge and topped with pomegranate seeds before being served.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
