announced that Peru and the United Arab Emirates will hold the first round of negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries
"The first round will take place this coming December. After that initial meeting, we will discuss how we see the negotiation process in terms of timing. This will be Peru's first agreement with a Middle Eastern country," she told Andina News Agency.
The government official noted that the UAE imports almost everything it consumes from around the world, which presents a great opportunity for Peruvian products in agro-exports, mining, and textiles, among others.
"It is important to keep in mind that the United Arab Emirates has an extremely varied climate—very hot during the day and cold at night—so there is an opportunity for products made with alpaca yarn combined with other fibers such as cotton or bamboo, which is a trend because it makes the product cooler during the day and warm at night," she added.
The minister participated in the International Forum on Export Diversification titled “Connecting Peru with the World."
Within this framework, she highlighted Peru's international trade negotiation agenda, which includes progress with India, El Salvador, and Uruguay, in addition to the United Arab Emirates.
"We will continue working to expand opportunities for Peruvian companies by negotiating new trade agreements with future partners such as India, El Salvador, Uruguay, and the United Arab Emirates," Mera stated.
The minister added that "each of our efforts aims to open new doors for more Peruvian products to enter global markets under the best access conditions."
"In 2024 and this year, we have signed four trade agreements, including the optimization of the existing Trade Agreement with China, as well as agreements with Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Guatemala, which are currently undergoing internal finalization processes," she concluded.