KOTRA Signs AI and Future Mobility MOU with Dubai RTA, Lays Groundwork for Middle East Smart Infrastructure Contracts

Support for PoCs Linked to Autonomous Driving and Public Projects
Entering the Implementation Phase Following the Korea-UAE CEPA’s Entry into Force

The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) has laid the groundwork for Korean companies to enter the Middle East markets for artificial intelligence (AI) and future mobility.

KOTRA said on October 19 that it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to cooperate on AI, future mobility, and intelligent urban infrastructure. The agreement was signed on October 15 (local time) at the 14th Dubai Award for Sustainable Transport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

KOTRA Middle East Regional Headquarters Head Kim Junkyu and Muna Al Osaimi, a representative of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority, attended the signing ceremony. The agreement is seen as a sign that economic cooperation between the two countries is moving into active implementation, with the establishment of a collaboration channel with a key infrastructure procurement authority following the entry into force of the Korea-United Arab Emirates Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in May 2026.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority is a leading public-sector procuring entity that oversees traditional public transportation networks, including roads and urban rail, and leads the local government’s “Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031” in areas such as autonomous driving, intelligent transportation systems (ITS), and advanced air mobility (AAM). It is actively adopting next-generation mobility technologies, including introducing 100 commercial autonomous taxis in March 2026.

Under the agreement, the two sides will work to expand Korean companies’ opportunities to bid on and participate in smart infrastructure projects undertaken by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority, and provide multifaceted support for technology demonstrations and commercialization in the local market in connection with public projects. KOTRA plans to organize consultation sessions linked to public-sector procurement opportunities in conjunction with major local trade shows, including GITEX, and actively support the entry of Korean innovative companies into the local market.

“Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority is a key institution leading the way in future transportation and smart infrastructure not only in the United Arab Emirates but across the Middle East,” said Kim Junkyu, head of KOTRA’s Middle East regional headquarters. “With the entry into force of the Korea-United Arab Emirates Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement also establishing an institutional foundation for cooperation between the two countries, this agreement will be a turning point in translating cooperation in AI and future mobility into actual projects.”

Kim Jun-gyu, head of KOTRA's Middle East Regional Headquarters (left), and Muna Al Osaimee, a representative of Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority, sign an agreement at the 14th Dubai Award for Sustainable Transport ceremony in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on the 15th (local time). Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA)

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