PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday for a working visit aimed at enhancing sustainability, economic and defense cooperation, Malacañang said Thursday. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the visit was upon the invitation of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. “President Marcos Jr.’s working visit is for the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, where measures to promote global sustainability will be discussed,” Castro said during a press briefing. Marcos will join other heads of state and government in discussions on global concerns, including energy transition, water security, finance, food systems, and environmental protection. On the sidelines of the multilateral meetings, Castro said the President will witness the signing of two major agreements between Manila and Abu Dhabi — a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation. Castro said the CEPA would mark the Philippines’ first free trade agreement with a Middle Eastern country, aimed at widening market access for Philippine goods and services in the region. Meanwhile, the defense cooperation agreement was expected to enhance collaboration in the development of defense technologies and capabilities. The trip, Marcos’ first overseas visit for the year, was expected to yield tangible benefits for Filipinos, particularly in terms of trade, investment, and strategic partnerships, she added. Marcos visited the UAE in November 2024, where Manila and Abu Dhabi highlighted overseas Filipino workers’ “contributions towards UAE’s development.” In 2022, bilateral non-oil annual trade doubled to $1.85 billion, making the UAE the Philippines’ 17th largest trading partner, and the largest among Gulf Cooperation Council countries, according to data from the UAE’s Foreign Ministry. Philippine direct investments in the UAE was pegged at $34 million in 2021, with both countries looking at strengthening ties in the financial technology and financial services sectors.