Mohammed bin Rashid: UAE hits record AED 3.8 tn. in non-oil trade

Non-oil trade surpasses $1 trillion

“Today I reviewed the results of the foreign trade report. For the first time in its history, the UAE’s non-oil foreign trade has exceeded $1 trillion (AED 3.8 trillion), an increase of 26.8 percent compared to the previous year. Our non-oil exports, according to a new report I reviewed today, exceeded AED 813 billion, achieving exceptional growth of 45.5 percent year-on-year,” His Highness Sheikh Mohammed said.

Targets achieved five years ahead of schedule

He added that these figures were targets announced three years ago to be achieved by 2031, and that the UAE has realized 95 percent of them five years ahead of schedule. He emphasized that the investment environment is complete, international partnerships have doubled, partnerships with the private sector have strengthened, and global confidence in the UAE has been firmly established.

Call for continued effort and private sector collaboration

“We congratulate all our national teams. Our message to them is to double their efforts and further entrench partnerships with the private sector to build a better economic future,” he said.

Strong growth across 2025

In detail, the UAE’s non-oil foreign trade reached approximately AED 3.8 trillion ($1.03 trillion) in 2025, recording growth of 27 percent compared to 2024 and 44.3 percent compared to 2023. It also achieved growth of 65 percent and 97.4 percent compared to 2022 and 2021 respectively, nearing double the value recorded in 2021 and exceeding twice the level of 2019.

Record Q4 performance

In the final quarter of 2025, the UAE’s non-oil trade reached AED 1.1 trillion for the first time, marking growth of 33.1 percent. This performance was supported by record growth in non-oil exports, which amounted to AED 234.4 billion during the same period, an increase of 53.2 percent compared to the corresponding quarter of 2024 and 12 percent compared to the third quarter of 2025.

Exports make stronger contribution

By the end of 2025, exports contributed 21.6 percent of the UAE’s total non-oil trade for the first time, compared to 18.8 percent at the end of 2024, 16.5 percent in 2022, and 14.1 percent in 2019.

Non-oil exports reach AED 813.8 billion

Non-oil exports reached AED 813.8 billion by the end of 2025, growing more than 45.5 percent compared to 2024 and increasing 85 percent compared to 2023. Exports surpassed three times the value recorded in 2019 and more than doubled the figures of 2021 and 2022.

Exports to CEPA countries

Exports to countries with Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs) that had entered into force by the end of 2025—14 countries—reached AED 175.5 billion, recording growth of 18.2 percent and accounting for 21.6 percent of the UAE’s total exports.

Key export commodities

The UAE’s principal non-oil exports included gold and jewellery, aluminium, cigarettes, refined petroleum oils, ethylene polymers, copper wires, precious metal compounds, polypropylene polymers, and perfumes. Collectively, these achieved growth of 64.5 percent compared to 2024.

Growth in re-exports and imports

Re-exports reached AED 830.2 billion ($226 billion) by the end of 2025, growing 15.7 percent compared to 2024. Imports of non-oil goods exceeded AED 2.1 trillion ($577.6 billion) in 2025, up 25.7 percent from 2024, with top imports including gold, mobile phones, cars, petroleum oils, jewellery, diamonds, and computers.

Exceptional Q4 performance continues

The final quarter of 2025 saw non-oil foreign trade exceed AED 1 trillion within three months for the first time, reaching AED 1.1 trillion and growing 33.1 percent compared to Q4 2024. Non-oil exports during this period reached AED 234.4 billion, equivalent to the UAE’s total non-oil exports for all of 2019.