History of diplomatic relations
The United Arab Emirates recognised the Republic of Estonia on 18 September 1991. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on 28 March 2006.
The first Estonian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Andre Pung, residing in Tallinn, presented his credentials in 2012. He was followed by Sander Soone, who served as ambassador from 2016 to 2019 and resided in Cairo. The first Estonian Ambassador to reside permanently in Abu Dhabi was Jaan Reinhold, who served from 2019 to 2024. The current Estonian Ambassador, Maria Belovas, presented her credentials to the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on 27 November 2024.
The first Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Estonia, Mohammed Ahmed Al Mahmood, residing in Berlin, presented his credentials in 2010. The current Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates, Amna Mahmoud Mohamed Abdalla Fikri, presented her credentials to President Alar Karis on 6 June 2024. The Ambassador resides in Helsinki.
In 2019, the Embassy of the Republic of Estonia was opened in Abu Dhabi, and the representation of the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency was opened in Dubai.
In 2023, the Estonia–United Arab Emirates Parliamentary Group was formed in the Riigikogu. The group has ten members.
Estonia is a member of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), headquartered in Abu Dhabi.
In 2025–2026, the embassies of Estonia and Denmark in the United Arab Emirates serve as NATO Contact Point Embassies.
Bilateral relations
To Estonia
- Secretary General of the Education, Human Development and Community Development Council of the United Arab Emirates Hajar Althehli, September 2025
- Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Noura Al Kaabi, November 2024
- Minister of State Khalid Al Harmoodi, May 2023
- Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulnasser Al Shaali, May 2022 and July 2021
- Minister of Economy Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, May 2018
- Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, April 2010
- Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, June 2009
To the United Arab Emirates
- President Alar Karis at the World Governments Summit (February 2026)
- Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa Pakosta on a visit to the United Arab Emirates (December 2025)
- Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa Pakosta at GITEX Global (October 2025)
- Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur at the IDEX defence exhibition (February 2025)
- Minister of Economic Affairs and Industry Erkki Keldo at the World Governments Summit (February 2025)
- Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture Piret Hartman at the Gulfood food exhibition (February 2025)
- Minister of Economic Affairs and Industry Erkki Keldo at GITEX Global (October 2024)
- Minister of Economic Affairs and Information Technology Tiit Riisalo (April 2024)
- Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture Madis Kallas at the Gulfood food exhibition (February 2024)
- Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas (February 2024 and October 2023)
- President Alar Karis at Expo 2020 Dubai (March 2022)
- Minister of the Environment Erki Savisaar (March 2022)
- Minister of Culture Tiit Terik at Expo 2020 Dubai (March 2022)
- Minister of Rural Affairs Urmas Kruuse at Gulfood and Expo 2020 Dubai (February 2022)
- Minister of Foreign Affairs Eva-Maria Liimets at Expo 2020 Dubai (January 2022)
- Minister of Entrepreneurship and Information Technology Andres Sutt at Expo 2020 Dubai and Travel and Connectivity Week (January 2022 and September 2021)
- Minister of Education and Research Liina Kersna (December 2022)
- Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu (February 2020)
- Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna and UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy (Gdańsk, Ukraine Recovery Conference, June 2026)
- Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna and UAE Minister of State Lana Nusseibeh (Munich Security Conference, February 2026)
- Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna and UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (New York, UN General Assembly, September 2025)
- Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna and UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (New York, UN General Assembly, September 2024)
- Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (Dubai, COP28, December 2023)
- Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Reinsalu and UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (New York, UN General Assembly, September 2022)
- Minister of Foreign Affairs Eva-Maria Liimets and UAE Minister of State Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar (New York, UN General Assembly, September 2021)
For more detailed data on trade with the United Arab Emirates, see the application of Statistics Estonia
- Joint Declaration between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates on supporting Ukrainian children and youth (2025)
- Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Estonia and the Government of the United Arab Emirates concerning air services between and beyond their respective territories (2020)
- Convention between the Republic of Estonia and the United Arab Emirates for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income (2012)
- Agreement between the Republic of Estonia and the United Arab Emirates on the promotion and reciprocal protection of investments (2012)
Last updated: 10.08.2026