Ministry: UAE is “Syria’s most prominent global trade partner” DUBAI: The UAE and Syria have agreed on plans to enhance economic cooperation and explore new sectors. The Emirates’ economy ministry announced the agreement on Sunday. The ministry said value of non-oil trade between the two countries in the first half of 2021 was one billion dirhams ($272 million). It added that the UAE is “Syria’s most prominent global trade partner.” The announcement came after the UAE’s Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq Al-Marri met with his Syrian counterpart. The UAE re-opened its mission to Damascus in late 2018 after closing it due to the Syria conflict.