Russia's state-backed export center used two UAE trade events in 2025 to promote consumer goods and industrial technologies, as official sources reported different participation counts and trade totals.
The Russian Export Center (REC) said its five-day “Made in Russia” festival and fair opened in Abu Dhabi on Feb. 21, 2025. More than 80 manufacturers from 30 Russian regions took part, offering food, drinks, cosmetics, souvenirs and handicrafts. REC reported more than 2,500 visitors and more than 240 business meetings, and said the stalls served local residents and companies. It described the event as the first Made in Russia festival and fair in the UAE. REC’s account does not report sales or contracts resulting from the meetings.
At Dubai’s Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition (WETEX), held Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2025, the Russian pavilion featured industrial and environmental solutions. Before the show, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) said 30 companies were expected, with planned areas including renewable energy, water treatment, recycling, artificial intelligence applications in human resources and sustainable agriculture. REC’s opening-day release listed 26 manufacturers presenting water-treatment, environmental, industrial digital and agricultural technologies.
DEWA’s preview and WETEX’s day-one newsletter each reported 30 companies; REC counted 26 manufacturers. The accounts do not explain the difference. DEWA says REC, part of VEB.RF Group, helps Russian firms market products outside the energy and commodity sectors in foreign markets.
Trade data offer differing figures for UAE-Russia commerce. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs puts total bilateral trade at about $12 billion in 2025. UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi said non-oil trade reached $20.4 billion that year, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported. The reports use different labels for the measures but do not explain why the non-oil figure exceeds the stated total.
REC lists its International Export Forum for Nov. 16, 2026, at the National Center “Russia” in Moscow. The planned interactive exhibition is set to cover medicine, robotics, industry and information technology.
