UAE Non-Oil Trade Surpasses $1 Trillion for the First Time

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, announced a significant economic milestone as the country's non-oil foreign trade exceeded the one trillion dollar mark for the first time. This achievement underscores the UAE's commitment to enhancing its investment climate and boosting global confidence in its economy.

Record Growth Achieved

According to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid reported that non-oil trade reached approximately 3.8 trillion dirhams ($1.03 trillion), reflecting a growth of 26.8% compared to the previous year. Non-oil exports also saw remarkable growth, amounting to 813.8 billion dirhams, a 45.5% increase year-on-year.
He emphasized that these results align with the UAE Vision 2031 goals, achieving 95% of the targets five years ahead of schedule, demonstrating the economy's resilience and rapid growth.

Official Remarks

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid stated:
"Our investment environment is fully developed, international partnerships have expanded, and our collaboration with the private sector has strengthened, reinforcing global confidence in the UAE."
He added: "We commend our national teams and urge them to intensify their efforts and strengthen partnerships with the private sector to foster a prosperous economic future."

Steady Growth Trends

Non-oil trade experienced a 27% increase in 2025 compared to 2024, and a 44.3% rise compared to 2023, nearly doubling the levels seen in 2021 and surpassing figures from 2019.

Exports as a Growth Driver

By the end of 2025, non-oil exports contributed 21.6% to total non-oil trade, the highest percentage recorded in the nation’s history. Exports exceeded the targets set by the "We Are the UAE 2031" vision by over 13.8 billion dirhams, continuing their upward trend and tripling levels from 2019.

Key Partners and Export Goods

The UAE's exports to countries with comprehensive economic partnership agreements (14 nations) reached approximately 175.5 billion dirhams, an 18.2% increase, representing 21.6% of total exports. Key exported goods included:
gold and jewelry, aluminum, cigarettes, refined petroleum products, polyethylene polymers, copper wires, perfumes, and plastic items, collectively achieving a growth of 64.5%.

Re-exports and Imports Overview

Re-exports totaled about 830.2 billion dirhams by the end of 2025, up by 15.7%, while non-oil imports exceeded 2.1 trillion dirhams, driven by increased imports of gold, mobile phones, vehicles, diamonds, and computers.

Strong Performance in Final Quarter

The last quarter of 2025 saw exceptional performance, with non-oil trade surpassing one trillion dirhams within just three months, growing by 33.1%. Non-oil exports reached 234.4 billion dirhams, equivalent to total exports from 2019.