By: Abdullah Saeed Al Habsi
Beyond Signing Economic Agreements
The signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the United Arab Emirates and Canada on October 27, 2026, sparked widespread economic interest, not only due to the scale of the opportunities it addresses, but also because of the time the negotiations took: just 47 days. If the speed of negotiations reflects the capacity of institutions to reach understandings, the most important question begins after the signing: Who has the ability to turn agreements into results that benefit both the economy and society?
This question deserves discussion in Egypt, which possesses a large consumer market, a diverse industrial base, and a geographic location that gives it a prominent role in global trade. The success of economic cooperation relies not on the number of agreements countries sign, but on how prepared institutions and companies are to make the most of them.
Trade Opportunities Do Not Guarantee Economic Success
A trade agreement may open a new market for a domestic product, but it does not guarantee buyers. Foreign investment may provide opportunities for industrial expansion, but it does not necessarily mean knowledge transfer or increased participation from local suppliers. Between announcing an opportunity and realizing its economic benefit lies a chain of procedures and decisions that can either make success happen or hinder it.
In my view, one of the problems facing the implementation of economic initiatives lies in treating the signing of an agreement as the end of the achievement, when it is actually the beginning of the test.
Facilitating Investment Instead of Just Encouraging It
An investor planning to set up an industrial project is not content with knowing the available incentives; they ask about the time required to obtain licenses, the availability of raw materials, transport efficiency, service stability, and their ability to secure suitable labor. The more procedures multiply and responsibilities become complicated, the wider the gap grows between an attractive market on paper and the difficulty of operating within it.
This is where the importance emerges of shifting from the concept of encouraging investment to facilitating investment success.
Supporting Small and Medium Enterprises
In Egypt’s case, this approach can begin by giving greater attention to the small and medium enterprises already in the market. These companies do not always need a new agreement as much as they need accurate information on foreign markets, clear mechanisms for matching standards, affordable logistics services, and real opportunities to enter major supply chains.
How Do We Measure the Actual Results of Agreements?
Furthermore, tracking the results of agreements should not be limited to the announced volume of investments. It is important to measure the number of projects that have started actual production, the sustainable jobs they have created, the percentage of local components used, and the ability of national companies to survive after initial incentives end.
It is also necessary to distinguish between targeted investments and implemented investments. Under the UAE-Canada partnership, both countries spoke of facilitating investment opportunities reaching up to 70 billion Canadian dollars. This direction reflects a major economic ambition, but it does not mean that this amount has actually been pumped into completed projects.
Precision in presenting these figures does not diminish the importance of the agreements; rather, it strengthens the credibility of their evaluation.
Institutional Follow-Up from Signing to Operation
Perhaps one useful lesson is the need for a clear coordinating body that follows every economic agreement from signing to operation, identifies the obstacles companies face, and issues periodic reports on actual achievements. Follow-up should not be merely an administrative procedure, but a tool to correct decisions before small problems turn into reasons for disrupting projects.
This does not mean ignoring global economic conditions or funding challenges that may affect implementation, but rather acknowledging that management quality is an element that cannot be replaced by a high number of signatures.
Turning Trade Openness into Sustainable Growth
Egypt is capable of benefiting from its location, human capabilities, and industrial capacities on a broader scale the more the investor and producer journey becomes clear and predictable. The same applies to other economies seeking to turn trade openness into sustainable growth.
The world has become more focused on expanding partnerships and diversifying markets. However, true competition will not be between countries that sign the highest number of agreements, but between countries whose institutions manage to turn written opportunities into working factories, expanding companies, and lasting jobs.
An economy reaps its rewards not from the agreement that is signed, but from the opportunity that is implemented.
References
UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs – News Regarding the UAE-Canada Economic Partnership
Abdullah Saeed Al Habsi — Writer and researcher specializing in security, heritage, risks, and operations rooms, and a Member of the Institute of Leadership (UK).
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