His Excellency Dr. ani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi is UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, a position he has held since July 2020.

He is responsible for overseeing the development of non-oil foreign trade, the expansion of global trade partnerships and increasing UAE exports. As part of his role, H.E. Al Zeyoudi leads the nation’s efforts to secure Comprehensive Economic Partnerships Agreements (CEPAs) with strategic allies around the world, which supports the UAE’s aim to boost exports by at least 50 percent by 2030. In May 2022, the first of these CEPAs, and the first ever bilateral deal signed by the UAE, was concluded with long-standing trade and investment partner India.

H.E. Al Zeyoudi’s experience of global trade negotiations was recognized with his appointment as Chair of the 13th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (MC13) held in Abu Dhabi in February 2024, where he was instrumental in ensuring the successful delivery of the Abu Dhabi Declaration, a package of agreements that helped to advance open, rules-based trade.

H.E. Al Zeyoudi also leads the efforts to enhance the UAE’s investment climate and strengthen its position as a prime destination for business and investments at both regional and global levels. is includes his portfolio as Minister in Charge of Talent Attraction and Retention, in which he ensures the best global talents have the pathways, incentives and opportunities to contribute to the UAE’s long-term economic objectives.

In October 2023, His Excellency was appointed as Chairman of Board of e Emirates Drug Establishment, a newly established federal agency responsible for regulating the UAE’s pharmaceutical and medical industries, promoting research and development in this sector, and ensuring the quality, safety, and availability of medical products in the UAE.

His Excellency also serves as Vice Chairman of the Industry Development Council and Chairman of the Council’s Executive Committee, as well as Deputy Chairman of Etihad Credit Insurance’s Board of Directors. He is also a member of the Supreme Committee for the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28), the decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Prior to his appointment as the Minister of State for Foreign Trade, he served as Minister of Climate Change and Environment and supervised the implementation of the country’s strategies on climate action, agricultural development, animal husbandry and fisheries, in addition to combating desertification and preserving biodiversity.

H.E. Al Zeyoudi was named a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader in 2020 for his work in climate and environment and received the award for Excellence from the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf in 2015 in recognition of his pioneering efforts in the field of renewable energy.

H.E. Al Zeyoudi holds a BASc in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Tulsa, an MBA from the New York Institute of Technology, an MA in Project Management from the British University in Dubai, and a PhD in Strategy, Program and Project Management from Skema Business School in France.