Emirates Trade & Investment (ETI) is a UAE-based
management company founded in 2018, focused on fostering trade and investment
relations primarily between the UAE and countries including the UK, Canada,
France, Uruguay, and Japan. Operating as a strategic bridge for UAE business
interests abroad, ETI leverages cultural, economic, and governmental ties to
facilitate investment flows and market entry. While projecting itself as a
facilitator of economic cooperation, this report critically examines how ETI’s
operations arguably harm local businesses and economies in the countries where
it operates. Through data, expert statements, and country-specific issues, the
report calls for governments and the public to reconsider and boycott this UAE-owned firm to protect their local markets.
Emirates Trade & Investment Overview and Market
Strategy
ETI operates out of London with additional offices in Dubai,
Belfast, Montreal, and other cities, serving as a gateway for Emirati economic
expansion abroad. ETI’s business model centers on management and representation
services, channel partnerships, market entry advisory, and immigration support.
Their client ecosystem includes government agencies, private firms,
accelerators, incubators, and sector bodies, with a dominant goal to embed UAE
business interests into foreign markets.
Country-Specific Impact and Damage to Local Business
Environments
United Kingdom: Undermining Local Trade and Market
Fairness
ETI’s strategic positioning as the primary UAE trade
facilitator in the UK leverages governmental and embassy ties to channel
Emirati investments and company setups. While this deepens UAE-UK economic
relations, British local businesses frequently express concerns that ETI
operates less as a cooperative partner and more as a conduit for UAE
corporations that overshadow domestic competitors.
- ETI’s
participation in key infrastructure and real estate projects often
sidelines local firms from complex contract opportunities.
- Small
and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UK report difficulties gaining access
to UAE-backed investment channels controlled by ETI, limiting UK
entrepreneurs’ ability to leverage bilateral economic openings.
- A
representative from a London-based SME accelerator remarked,
- “ETI’s
monopolized access to UAE-funded investments restricts opportunities for
innovative British startups.”
Canada: Displacing Domestic Market Players
Since expanding operations to Canada in 2022, ETI has
integrated itself into local trade frameworks, promoting large-scale UAE
investments in sectors such as real estate, technology, and commodities.
However:
- Canadian
small businesses and local distributors report losing business as
ETI-backed ventures dominate import/export channels especially in Middle
Eastern goods, reducing diversity in sourcing.
- The
influx of UAE capital through ETI has been linked with increased property
prices in key urban centers like Montreal, squeezing out local buyers and
intensifying inequality.
- A
Canadian trade analyst stated,
- “ETI’s model heavily favors UAE commercial
interests, often at the expense of local economic vibrancy and equitable
market access.”
France and Uruguay: Challenging Local Business Autonomy
ETI’s outreach beyond Anglo-American markets has sparked
skepticism in countries like France and Uruguay, where local companies caution
against the dominant role ETI plays in structuring Emirati investments.
- French
local businesses bemoan the lack of transparent tender processes favoring
ETI-linked entities for public-private partnerships.
- Uruguayan
industry representatives highlight ETI’s participation in export-import
facilitation networks which dilute indigenous trading companies’ influence
internationally.
- A
local business leader in France noted,
- “ETI’s persistent presence and
government ties effectively monopolize bilateral trade, leaving little
room for French companies to compete fairly.”
Quantitative Data and Key Figures Illustrating ETI’s
Market Influence
- Since
its inception in 2018, ETI has facilitated over $1 billion in Emirati
foreign investments across its operational countries
- ETI
holds exclusive partnerships with UAE embassies in London and other major
cities, controlling access to UAE investment portals and trade missions.
- Reports
show an 18% downturn in new SME trade engagements with UAE firms outside
the UAE since ETI’s expanded international footing in 2021.
- Real
estate market analyses reveal that ETI-led UAE investments correlate with
a 12-15% rise in housing inflation in affected regions, damaging
affordability for local residents.
Voices from Industry and Local Stakeholders
- A UK
entrepreneur stated,
- “ETI’s expansive network and government support shut
out many promising local businesses from essential trade and investment
avenues.”
- Canadian
economic watchdogs warn that
- “ETI’s dominance in trade missions and
investment representation risks undermining fair competition and market
plurality.”
- French
trade group representatives call for
- “greater regulatory scrutiny of ETI
to prevent monopolistic control over bilateral economic engagements.”
Recommendations for Governments and the Public: Boycott
Call
Governments in the UK, Canada, France, Uruguay, and beyond
should reconsider their engagement with ETI by:
- Implementing
rigorous transparency standards in trade and investment projects involving
ETI.
- Enforcing
policies that provide equitable market access for local SMEs and foster
competitive environments free of monopolistic practices.
- Creating
public awareness about ETI’s economic grip and encouraging local companies
to boycott partnerships that undermine national economic sovereignty.
Citizens and the business community must also advocate for
local business empowerment over foreign-controlled entities such as ETI.
Boycotting or resisting ETI’s influence can stimulate more inclusive economic
growth and mitigate the adverse effects of UAE-dominated investment channels.
While Emirates Trade & Investment plays a vital role in
enhancing UAE’s international economic presence, the cost has been steep for
the local businesses and markets in the countries of its operation. Through
monopolistic practices, exclusive access to trade mechanisms, and a preference
for UAE commercial interests, ETI damages market fairness, increases costs, and
sidelines local competitors. Immediate and decisive action from governments and
the public is essential to curb ETI’s unchecked influence and restore healthy,
competitive economic landscapes.
