UAE's non-oil foreign trade in H1 surges 13% to nearly AED2 trillion

GCC

UAE's non-oil foreign trade in H1 surges 13% to nearly AED2 trillion

COMMERCIAL NEWS

Jul 19, 2026 1:40 PM

The UAE's non-oil foreign trade surged by 13.1% year-on-year during the first half of 2026 to nearly AED2 trillion ($527.5 billion), mainly driven by a surge in exports, reported Wam, citing the government data.

Non-oil foreign trade reached AED1.937 trillion in the six months to June, while non-oil exports jumped 23.9% from a year earlier to a record AED452.8 billion, accounting for 23.4% of total non-oil trade.

The figures were announced after a review of the country's trade performance by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who said the results reflected the strength of the UAE economy and growing global confidence in the country.

“These figures are more than trade statistics, they are a testament to the strength of our economy, the effectiveness of our development choices and the world’s confidence in the UAE,” he stated.

“In the first half of 2026, the UAE’s non-oil foreign trade reached approximately AED1.937 trillion, representing a growth of 13.1% compared to the same period in 2025, 39.6% more than the first half of 2024, 54.5% more than the first half of 2023, and a growth of 78.8% compared to the same period in 2022. These figures reflect a sustained upward trajectory in UAE trade over recent years,” he added.

As per official data, the UAE’s non-oil foreign trade for the first half more than doubled the levels recorded during the same period in both 2019 and 2021, further underscoring the significant acceleration in national economic growth.

Non-oil exports were the leading driver of the country’s trade performance in H1 2026. They grew 23.9% year on year to reach AED452.8 billion, which is 77.3% more than the first half of 2024.

The share of non-oil exports in the UAE’s total non-oil foreign trade climbed to 23.4%, up from 21.3% in the same period of 2025, 18.4% in 2024, and 16.9% in 2023, reflecting a qualitative shift in the national economy towards a model driven by production, exports and value addition, it stated.

China retained its position as the UAE’s largest trading partner with non-oil trade of AED180.7 billion, followed by Switzerland at AED138.4 billion, then India at AED107.5 billion. Egypt, Oman and Hong Kong also recorded strong growth rates among the country’s key trading partners, said the Wam report.

Non-oil foreign trade with the UAE’s top ten trading partners grew by 12.6% in the first half of 2026, while trade with the rest of the world grew by 13.6%, reflecting the breadth and diversity of the UAE’s trade relationships and the continued expansion of its global economic partnerships.

The first half data confirmed the growing contribution of the UAE’s Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs) to trade performance.

Non-oil trade with countries with a fully implemented CEPA reached AED304.3 billion, with imports from these countries reaching AED193.5 billion. Non-oil exports to CEPA partners reached AED66.1 billion, it stated.

Non-oil exports now account for 21.7% of the UAE’s total trade with in-force CEPA partners, up from 19.1% in 2022, reflecting the broad market access these agreements are delivering for UAE products and companies, it added.

According to the report, gold remained the leading commodity in UAE non-oil trade, with a value of AED706.2 billion in H1 2026 for a year-on-year growth of 48.8%. It was followed by the telecoms sector at AED189.7 billion, then gold jewelry, automobiles and diamonds.

The top ten commodities together accounted for approximately 67% of the country’s total non-oil merchandise trade in the first half of 2026, it added.