UAE Trade Strategy Gains Gulf Test Arabian Post

Al Zeyoudi said the country's eastern seaboard had become a central pillar of its response. Fujairah and Khorfakkan, both facing the Gulf of Oman, have allowed cargo flows to be redirected away from the most exposed Gulf routes. Their role has expanded as shipping lines, logistics companies and port operators reassess risk, delivery schedules and insurance exposure across the region.

The UAE has also deployed air freight bridges for time-critical cargo, particularly pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and food products. That move reflects the pressure on governments and private operators to distinguish between ordinary commercial traffic and goods that cannot withstand long delays. Cold-chain products, essential medicines and perishable foods have become priority categories as route changes add cost and complexity.

A Green Corridor with Oman has added another layer to the trade-continuity system. The corridor enables goods moving through Omani ports and airports to reach Dubai by land under customs-supervised procedures via border crossings including Al Wajajah and Hatta. The mechanism has helped create a structured alternative for diverted shipments rather than leaving companies to rely on ad hoc rerouting.

The Sharjah-Dammam trade bridge has reinforced the same shift towards regional redundancy. The corridor links Sharjah with Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province through a combination of maritime and land transport, using Khorfakkan, inland logistics hubs and Dammam as key nodes. Its strategic value lies in reducing dependence on exposed maritime lanes while improving cross-border cargo movement between two of the region's largest economies.

Al Zeyoudi's message in Prague was that resilience is no longer a supporting feature of trade policy but a central measure of economic competitiveness. The UAE has spent years building ports, free zones, customs platforms, aviation links and trade agreements; the war has now tested whether that infrastructure can absorb a shock involving one of the world's most sensitive waterways.

GLOBSEC Forum 2026, held from 21 to 23 May under the theme“The Global Systemic Transformation”, brought together more than 1,800 participants from over 75 countries. The UAE delegation included senior foreign policy, trade and technology figures, reflecting Abu Dhabi's effort to frame the country not only as a regional actor but also as a partner for Europe and wider global markets during a period of conflict-driven uncertainty.

The broader UAE position at the forum combined diplomatic caution with economic messaging. Officials warned that any settlement focused only on a pause in fighting would not be sufficient if it failed to address deeper security risks. At the same time, the trade ministry's emphasis was practical: ports, customs links, warehousing, air cargo and land routes are being used to contain the economic impact while diplomacy moves at a slower pace.

For companies operating across the Gulf, the changes have altered assumptions that had guided logistics planning for decades. Direct maritime access through the Gulf remains valuable, but routing flexibility has become a boardroom issue. Food importers, pharmaceutical distributors, manufacturers and retailers are now weighing whether supply contracts should include alternative ports, inland clearance options and higher inventory buffers.