On 28 September 2026, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates (“UAE“) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU“) on investment cooperation. Under the MOU, Singapore and the UAE commit to identify and facilitate investment opportunities between both countries. Key areas of cooperation include:
- Investment opportunities: The identification and promotion of investment opportunities across key sectors of mutual interest, and facilitation of partnerships between public and private entities.
- Events: The facilitation and co-organisation of roundtables, forums, business missions and networking events.
- Capacity building: The encouragement of capacity building activities in the field of investment promotion and facilitation, including training programmes, technical assistance, and institutional partnerships.
The MOU builds on the existing framework for bilateral investments between both countries, provided by the Singapore-UAE Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement (“DTA“) and the Singapore-UAE Bilateral Investment Treaty (“BIT“). The DTA governs investment-related matters such as the taxation of business profits, while the BIT sets out the standards of treatment that each country must accord to foreign investors (e.g. most-favoured nation treatment), thereby giving foreign investors greater certainty and confidence. In turn, the MOU represents the practical outworking of this framework, outlining both countries’ commitments to cooperating in identifying investment opportunities in key sectors, facilitating partnerships, and building capacity together.
For context, the UAE is Singapore’s largest trading partner in the Middle East and its 13th largest trading partner overall in 2025. Bilateral trade in goods between the UAE and Singapore amounted to S$27.9 billion in 2025. The UAE is also one of Singapore’s top investment destinations in the Middle East. In 2024, Singapore’s stock of direct investments abroad amounted to S$4.2 billion, while the UAE’s stock of foreign direct investments in Singapore amounted to S$10.9 billion.
Currently, bilateral investment links between Singapore and the UAE span a wide range of sectors. For example, Singapore companies operating in the UAE are active in key areas such as fintech, healthcare, infrastructure and education, while UAE investors have a presence in Singapore in sectors including renewable energy, electronics, logistics and technology. The two countries are also exploring bilateral economic cooperation in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, the digital economy, and urban infrastructure.
Click on the following link for more information:
- Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry (“METI“) Press Release titled “Singapore and the United Arab Emirates Deepen Economic Cooperation at the 17th Abu Dhabi-Singapore Joint Forum” (available on the METI website at www.meti.gov.sg)
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