The Philippines and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are deepening their economic partnership through expanded trade cooperation, building on a foundation of strong existing relations. This commitment was underscored during a visit on Friday by UAE Minister of Investment, Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Malacanang Palace.
President Marcos welcomed the visit, emphasizing the mutual desire to “work together more closely than we have had in the past,” and expressing enthusiasm for exploring new avenues of collaboration.
Minister Alsuwaidi acknowledged the “very deep” relationship between the two nations, highlighting the UAE’s appreciation for the contributions of Filipino nurses to their healthcare system. He also expressed surprise that investment levels haven’t been historically higher, given the “tremendous” opportunities available in the Philippines. He cited key sectors like infrastructure, industrial mining, telecommunications, data centers, renewables, and healthcare as ripe for investment.
While the UAE was the Philippines’ 18th largest trading partner in 2023, with approved investments totaling P376.71 million, there is clear growth potential. From January to September 2024, UAE investments reached P82.59 million, ranking 25th.
The Philippines is actively promoting investment opportunities in priority sectors, including agribusiness/agriculture, energy efficiency technologies and renewable energy, infrastructure or public-private partnership projects, innovation, artificial intelligence, information technology, and business process management.
Several key initiatives demonstrate the growing momentum of this partnership. A Memorandum of Understanding signed in November 2023 between the Department of Trade and Industry and the UAE Ministry of Investment is paving the way for high-capacity data center projects in the Philippines, with companies like Edgnex Data Centres expressing investment interest.
Furthermore, a landmark Implementation Agreement was signed in January 2025 between the Department of Energy, the Board of Investments, and Masdar to develop solar, wind, and battery energy storage systems. This ambitious project aims to achieve a capacity of up to one gigawatt (GW) by 2030, representing a total investment of USD 15 billion.
The high-level engagement between the two countries has been instrumental in driving this progress. President Marcos’s visit to the UAE in November 2024, where he met with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, reinforced the commitment to expanding cooperation beyond traditional sectors.
The two leaders acknowledged the importance of their relationship and expressed gratitude for the care and respect shown to the large Filipino community in the UAE. These developments signal a significant strengthening of economic ties between the Philippines and the UAE, promising mutual benefits and growth in the years to come.
