UAE non-oil trade hit record levels in the first half of the year and is on track to reach AED3tn ($817bn) in 2024.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, affirmed that the UAE under the leadership of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, continues to achieve unprecedented milestones in its non-oil foreign trade.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said: “A few years ago, we set ambitious national economic goals, aiming for AED4tn ($1.1bn) in foreign trade by 2031 – a goal that was seen as highly challenging at the time.
UAE trade record
“Today, the figures for the first half of 2024 show that our exports in just six months have equalled what we used to export in an entire year before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019. Our foreign trade is nearing AED1.4tn ($381.2bn) in these six months, with a 25 per cent growth in non-oil exports.
“Our target is to achieve AED3tn ($817bn) in non-oil foreign trade by the end of this year.”
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum added: “Our economic relations with various countries have strengthened, with trade increasing by 10 per cent with India, 15 per cent with Türkiye, and 41 per cent with Iraq, making Iraq the top destination for UAE exports, followed by India, Türkiye, and others.
“While the global growth rate for foreign trade is around 1.5 per cent, our foreign trade has grown by 11.2 per cent annually, as we continue to advance toward our goals.
“The steadfast support of the Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, who has cultivated exceptional international relations with countries around the world, and through the tireless efforts of thousands of teams from both the public and private sectors.
“The flag rises, the nation and the region prosper, and our future is brighter, higher, and more promising.”
قبل عدة سنوات أعلنا أهدافنا الاقتصادية الوطنية .. وأعلنا بأن مستهدف تجارتنا الخارجية للعام 2031 هو 4 تريليون درهم سنوياً… هدف كان يمثل تحدياً كبيراً في وقتها …
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) August 25, 2024
واليوم وردتنا أرقام النصف الأول من 2024 … حيث بلغت صادراتنا في 6 أشهر فقط ما كنا نصدره خلال عام كامل قبل كورونا في…
The UAE’s non-oil exports to its top 10 trade partners grew by 28.7 per cent, while all other nations saw a 12.6 per cent increase in trade.
Gold, jewellery, cigarettes, oils, aluminium, copper wires, printed materials, silver, iron industries, and perfumes topped the list of the UAE’s most important export categories in the first half of 2024, collectively growing by 36.8 per cent compared to the same period in 2023. Other goods grew by 1 per cent.
Re-exports reached AED345.1bn ($94bn) in the first half of 2024, growing by 2.7 per cent compared to the same period in 2023, and increasing by 11.2 per cent compared to the same period in 2022.
Re-exports with key trading partners all grew, particularly:
- Saudi Arabia
- Iraq
- India
- United States
- Kuwait
- Qatar
Kazakhstan joined the list of leading re-export partners, nearly doubling its growth due to increased re-exports of telephone devices.
Overall, re-exports grew by 7.6 per cent with the top ten trading partners. Telephones and diamonds were the top re-exported goods, with the highest growth seen in re-exports of aircraft parts, cars, and goods transport vehicles.
The UAE’s non-oil imports approached AED800bn ($218bn) in the first half of 2024, growing by 11.3 percent compared to the same period in 2023 and increasing by 34.6 percent compared to the same period in 2022.
A significant portion of these imports are re-exported. Imports from the top ten markets grew by 7.2 percent, accounting for over 48.7 per cent of total imports.
Other countries, which account for 51.3 per cent of UAE imports, grew by 15.4 per cent in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
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