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Small Nations, Big Trade: Why the UAE is Driving a New Era of Global Openness
From Dubai to the World: UAE Leads the Future of Global Trade.
- PUBLISHED: Tue 2 Sept 2025, 2:36 PM
When the Financial Times reported last week that Singapore, the UAE and other nations are preparing to launch the Future of Investment and Trade Partnership (FIT-P), it signalled more than just another acronym in the alphabet soup of international trade. It underscored a decisive shift in the global economy: smaller, agile nations are stepping up to safeguard rules-based trade at a time when larger powers are increasingly inward-looking.
FIT-P, expected to bring together around ten countries including New Zealand, Uruguay, Norway, and Rwanda, aims to boost “trade openness” through practical measures such as recognising digital trade documents and creating new confidence-building mechanisms. These might sound technical, but they go to the heart of what will make tomorrow’s supply chains faster, fairer, and more resilient.
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A Moment of Opportunity for the UAE
For the UAE, this is more than diplomacy. It is a logical extension of our role as a global trade hub connecting East and West. Dubai has long thrived on openness and connectivity – from Jebel Ali Port to our modern air corridors. In recent years, the UAE has accelerated bilateral agreements through its Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs) with partners across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Our research at DMCC, published in the Future of Trade 2024 report, shows that regionalisation and new blocs are reshaping global commerce. Three forces stand out:
1. Accelerated regionalisation - new alliances are forming in response to geopolitical shocks.
2. Supply chain restructuring - resilience is now prized over cost-efficiency.
3. Digital transformation and AI - the technologies redefining how, what, and with whom we trade.
FIT-P aligns neatly with these shifts. By starting with a coalition of like-minded smaller economies, the group can set standards for digital trade and sustainability without the paralysis of larger multilateral forums.
Why Digital Trade is Central
One of FIT-P’s early priorities is digital trade – an area the UAE is deeply invested in. Today, some countries still refuse to accept digital trade documents, slowing commerce and adding unnecessary cost. Establishing equal recognition of digital and paper records may sound modest, but our analysis shows it could unlock trillions in efficiencies across global trade.
The UAE has already positioned itself as a testbed for digital trade and fintech innovation. By working with partners through FIT-P, we can amplify these initiatives and help set global norms that benefit businesses of all sizes.
A Rules-Based Alternative
The backdrop to FIT-P is clear: escalating protectionism from major economies. Bilateral “napkin deals” and tariff threats have undermined confidence in the World Trade Organization and raised real questions about the principle of equal treatment for all nations. Smaller economies cannot afford to sit idle while supply chains fragment.
As former EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmström has noted, initiatives like FIT-P demonstrate that many nations still want to trade within clear rules and transparency. This coalition has the potential to work alongside groups such as the EU and CPTPP to push for plurilateral global rules.
What It Means for Business
For businesses in the UAE and beyond, this is not abstract policy. It means faster, cheaper, and more secure trade transactions. It means clearer rules for digital services, which already account for a growing share of cross-border flows. And it means greater certainty in a world of volatility.
At DMCC, we see these trends daily across our community of more than 25,000 companies. As our research makes clear, agility will define success in the coming decade. Nations and businesses that embrace innovation, sustainability, and open trade will be the ones to prosper.
The launch of FIT-P is a reminder that small nations can play a big role in shaping the future of global commerce. The UAE is proud to be among them.
Feryal Ahmadi serves as the Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer of DMCC, playing a pivotal role in cementing its status as the world’s leading authority on international commodities trade and enterprise. With two decades’ experience, Feryal oversees DMCC’s long-term strategic growth, driving corporate governance excellence and fostering initiatives that amplify global trade flows through Dubai. She has been instrumental in shaping and managing the development of DMCC’s flagship Uptown Dubai and Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) business districts, as well as spearheading the innovative DMCC Smart and Sustainable District Strategy. As an official DMCC spokesperson, Feryal represents DMCC on global platforms, engaging with local and international media to elevate the organisation’s profile and champion Dubai’s thought leadership credentials on the world stage. Her influence has earned her repeated recognition in Forbes Middle East’s Top 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen, and she was named one of Arabian Business’s Top 100 Most Inspiring Women in 2025. As a vocal advocate for sustainability, inclusivity, and women in leadership, Feryal is a member of the Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) committee, established by UN Global Compact and UN Women. She leads DMCC’s comprehensive sustainability programmes and actively contributes to a number of semi-governmental boards across the UAE. Feryal holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the American University of Sharjah and an Executive MBA from Harvard University.
