Page 492 - MOET ENGLISH PR REPORT - JUNE 2025

6/17/25, 8:48 AM UAE Non-Oil Trade Hits $227B In Q1 As Export Growth Surges 41%
UAE's Non-Oil Trade Soars 18.6% In Q1, Edging Closer To $1.1T Target By 2031, Says
Sheikh Mohammed

By Ola Noureldin Forbes Middle East Staff Jun 16, 2025, 9:15 AM

Add to Bookmarks Play Sound

The real gross domestic product (GDP) of the UAE grew 4% in 2024. Image by Kirill Neiezhmakov / Shutterstock.com.

The UAE’s non-oil foreign trade surged 18.6% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025 to $227 billion (AED 835 billion), far
outpacing the global trade growth average of 2-3%, according to figures shared by the country’s leadership.

UAE's non-oil trade

Non-oil exports jumped by 40.7% for the quarter from the same period last year, reflecting the UAE’s continued efforts to
diversify its economy away from hydrocarbons.

“Our goal to grow non-oil foreign trade to $1.1 trillion (AED 4 trillion) by 2031 will be achieved within the next two years—
four years ahead of schedule,” said Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the
UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in a statement on Sunday.

He added that the UAE’s real gross domestic product (GDP) grew 4% in 2024, reaching $481.9 billion (AED 1.77 trillion),
with the non-oil sector contributing 75.5% to the national economy. The non-oil sector rose 5% to $365.4 billion (AED 1.342
trillion), accounting for over three-quarters of the total GDP. Oil-related activities contributed $118.2 billion (AED 434
billion) to the economy.

The strong trade and economic robust growth is in the wake of the UAE's continuous efforts to expand its global partnerships,
streamline customs procedures, and invest in advanced logistics infrastructure to position itself as a global trade and
investment hub, Sheikh Mohammed added, according to Emirates News Agency (WAM).

https://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/industry/economy/uaes-non-oil-trade-surges-186-in-q1-%2411t-goal-within-reach-says-sheikh-mohammed 1/2