Photo Credit: WAM
Dubai, UAE — June 2026 — The UAE’s Minister of Economy and Tourism, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, met with France’s Minister Delegate for SMEs, Trade, Crafts, Tourism and Purchasing Power, Serge Papin, to discuss deepening economic cooperation between the two countries, particularly in tourism, aviation, entrepreneurship and small and medium enterprises.
According to the Emirates News Agency, the meeting took place on the sidelines of a UAE delegation’s visit to Paris for Vivatech 2026, the technology and entrepreneurship exhibition running June 17-20 under the theme “AI: Impact not hype.”
Bin Touq said the UAE and France share advanced economic and investment relations, underpinned by both countries’ leadership and shared vision to elevate ties to new levels of growth, serving mutual interests and sustainable economic development.
The two sides discussed strengthening cooperation in tourism through capacity-building and new partnerships between academic institutions specializing in tourism and hospitality, as well as mutual promotion of tourist destinations and landmarks in both countries to deepen cultural understanding.
They also explored cooperation under UN Tourism programs, with the UAE set to host the organization’s next Executive Council meeting session in the second half of this year.
Tourism remains a key driver of bilateral economic cooperation: French tourist arrivals to the UAE reached approximately 840,000 in 2025, up nearly 4% from 2024, while flights between the two countries reached 53 per week, supporting private-sector business and partnership development.
Bin Touq highlighted the UAE’s competitive advantages for startups and SMEs, including 100% foreign ownership, more than 2,000 economic activities available for licensing, 100 percent profit repatriation, and over 10 major government programs supporting entrepreneurship.
SMEs account for around 95 percent of all companies operating in the UAE, provide more than 85 percent of private-sector jobs, and contribute 63 percent to the country’s GDP.
He noted that the French business community in the UAE has grown significantly, with registered French companies rising from 7,089 at the end of 2024 to 10,202 by the end of 2025 — a 44 percent increase. Momentum continued into 2026, with 1,153 new French companies registering in the first five months of the year, bringing the total to more than 11,000.
Additionally, more than 20,458 French trademarks are now registered and protected in UAE markets, reflecting the strength of the UAE-France business partnership.
