ع
The UAE delegation led by Bin Touq participated in the 30th International Tourism Fair in the Argentine capital from September 26 to 29, according to Fast Company Middle East. Bin Touq held separate meetings with Luis Caputo, Argentina’s minister of economy, Daniel Scioli, secretary of tourism, environment and sports, and Pablo Quirno Magrane, minister of foreign affairs, international trade and worship. The discussions centered on building sustainable partnerships that draw on the respective strengths of both economies across multiple high-priority sectors.
Bin Touq said economic relations between the UAE and Argentina continue to grow, supported by efforts to broaden cooperation and develop more sustainable partnerships, particularly across the economy and tourism sectors. The talks with Caputo examined potential collaboration in the new economy, food and agriculture, renewable energy, technology, infrastructure, mining and logistics. Bin Touq also outlined recent UAE legislative reforms that allow 100 percent foreign ownership of companies and introduce rules for family businesses, cooperatives and technology-enabled trade.
Tourism cooperation featured prominently in the meeting with Scioli, where the officials reviewed ways to develop joint products, experiences and events that could stimulate two-way visitor traffic. Figures from UAE authorities show the country welcomed 41,476 tourists from Argentina in 2025, marking a 55.7 percent increase from the previous year. The growth in arrivals underscores the potential for further collaboration in destination marketing and hospitality investment.
Bin Touq pointed to Abu Dhabi’s hosting of the 127th session of the UN Tourism Executive Council in November as a platform to deepen ties with Argentina on innovation, sustainability and skills development in the sector. The upcoming gathering will be the first time the council meets in the UAE, creating new avenues for multilateral coordination on tourism issues. A roundtable discussion that included government and private-sector representatives from both countries focused on concrete investment opportunities in tourism, hospitality and related services.
Fast Company Middle East reported that the number of active Argentine commercial companies in the UAE had risen 21.1 percent to nearly 750 by the end of March 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier. This expansion of commercial presence reflects the steady strengthening of economic links between the two nations. The latest meetings follow the launch of negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement announced after a ministerial encounter in New York on September 25.
According to a joint statement issued in New York, the proposed pact seeks to expand market access for goods and services while attracting high-quality investments in sectors such as artificial intelligence, mining, pharmaceuticals, agribusiness, energy and aerospace. Emirates News Agency data places non-oil bilateral trade at $767.5 million in 2025, a 42.6 percent increase from 2024. Officials from both sides also referenced the Argentina LNG project, which is expected to draw around $51 billion in total investment, as an illustration of the scale of potential future collaboration.
