Page 351 - MOE ENGLISH PR REPORT - APRIL 2025 (Part 1)

4/23/25, 4:36 PM In numbers: UAE foreign trade soars Dhs5.23tn in 2024
Services exports: Dhs646.6bn — including Dhs191bn in digital services (30 per cent of the total)
Regional dominance: UAE contributed 41.4 per cent of the Middle East’s merchandise exports
Global rankings: 11th in merchandise exports, 13th in services exports

Compared to global standards
While global trade saw moderate growth — 2.9 per cent for merchandise and 6.8 per cent for services — the UAE
outpaced trends and reinforced its role as a resilient and adaptive global trade hub.

The country’s strategic investments in digital trade, infrastructure, and connectivity have helped it weather rising
tariffs and economic uncertainty.

Milestones achieved
According to Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade:

1. The country achieved a trade surplus of Dhs492.3bn in 2024
2. Merchandise exports hit Dhs2.22tn
3. Services exports stood at Dhs646.6bn, with digital services growing 30 per cent
4. UAE ranked 21st globally in digital services exports (Dhs191bn), rising from $37bn in 2021 to $52bn in 2024
5. The nation’s total digital trade hit Dhs345bn, with digital services imports at Dhs154bn, reinforcing the UAE’s
standing as a tech-forward economy.

By the sectors
1. Information services: grew by 14 per cent
2. Tourism: rose by 13 per cent
3. Computer services: went up by 12 per cent
4. Financial services: grew 9 per cent
5. Transport, IP, insurance: rose by 8 per cent

6. Services accounted for 26.4 per cent of global trade — the highest since 2005
Looking ahead

Though the UAE’s 2024 trade balance surplus dropped slightly from Dhs573.1bn in 2023, the country remains a key
global player:

Exports: Dhs2.8619tn
Imports: Dhs2.3696tn
It contributed 2.5 per cent to global merchandise exports and 2.2 per cent to imports.

Between 2021–2024, the UAE jumped from 17th to 11th globally in merchandise exports and from 18th to 14th in
imports.

In services, the UAE advanced from 17th to 13th in exports and 19th to 21st in imports.
The big picture

Global merchandise exports reached $24.43tn in 2024, growing 2 per cent. The UAE’s own merchandise sector saw
varied results:

Office equipment and telecom: grew by 10 per cent
Electronics: rose by 6 per cent
Agricultural products, food, clothing: grew by 3 per cent each

Industrial goods: went higher by 2 per cent
Chemicals and textiles: rose by 1 per cent
Fuel, mining, iron, steel and automotive: declined between 1–7 per cent
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