Poland in the UAE

 

In the face of the conflict in the region that erupted on February 28, 2026, Poland and the UAE intensified their political dialogue. On March 7, 2026, the Deputy Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers of both countries, Radosław Sikorski and Abdullah bin Zayed, met in Warsaw. Deputy Prime Minister Sikorski presented Poland's position on military operations in the region and thanked the Emirati people and authorities for the assistance provided to Polish citizens. He also expressed full solidarity with the United Arab Emirates and other countries in the region who have not been involved in the conflict but have been targeted by drone and missile strikes by Iran. The Polish and Emirati foreign ministers also discussed energy security issues related to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. They also called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and its swiftest possible de-escalation.

Even before the conflict began, on February 16, 2026, Polish-Emirati political consultations took place in Warsaw, with the participation of Deputy Foreign Minister Wojciech Zajączkowski and Lana Nusseibeh, Minister of State for Political Affairs of the United Arab Emirates. The meeting focused on bilateral relations, as well as regional and global issues, including the Emirates' mediation efforts to end Russian aggression in Ukraine and increase the amount of humanitarian aid directed to Ukraine and the Gaza Strip. Both sides emphasized that our countries share a respect for the paramount role of international law in interstate relations and a willingness to cooperate in de-escalation and peaceful resolution of conflicts. Minister Lana Nusseibeh also held a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Sikorski during the Munich Security Conference.

The United Arab Emirates is Poland's second largest trading partner after Saudi Arabia and the largest recipient of Poland's exports among the Gulf states. In 2025, we exported goods worth €1.1 billion to the UAE, with imports worth €277 million. Several hundred Polish companies from various economic sectors are active in the Emirates (a significant portion of which are members of the Polish Business Council in Dubai, established in 2024). The total value of Polish direct investment in the UAE at the end of 2024 reached $310 million, primarily driven by investments by companies in the oil and gas, construction (Librus), lighting (LUG), installation (Sergas), IT services (Comarch), surveying, air conditioning (VTS Clima), furniture (MDD, Nowy Styl), and medical equipment (Famed Żywiec) sectors. Emirati investments in Poland reached $195 million at the end of 2024. Poland hopes for further development of trade and investment relations with the Emirates following the successful conclusion of the ongoing free trade agreement negotiations between the UAE and the European Union.

As the UAE becomes an increasingly attractive destination for companies and employees from around the world, the number of Polish citizens living here is also growing rapidly, currently reaching approximately 10,000. Tourism between our countries is also steadily increasing. In 2024, over 50,000 tourists from the UAE visited Poland (they travel particularly often to the Małopolska region with Krakow and Zakopane), and approximately 150,000 Poles visited the Emirates. Around 350 students from the UAE also study at Polish universities, primarily in medical, but also technical fields.