The Middle Eastern and Central American countries had signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the president said in a post on social media platform X.

CEPAs signed by the UAE are broad free trade agreements that typically also include clauses covering investment and services.

Bilateral non-oil trade between the two countries was worth $65 million in 2023, up 7% on the previous year, according to a report carried by UAE's state news agency on the CEPA signing.

The UAE is major international re-export hub that handles goods being sent to and from Asia, Africa, Europe and elsewhere.

(Reporting by Jana Choukeir and Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Lincoln Feast)