Page 378 - MOE ENGLISH PR REPORT - APRIL 2025 (Part 1)

The UAE ranked 21st globally in digital services exports, valued at $52 billion (Dh191 billion) in 2024,
up from $37 billion in 2021 and $48 billion in 2023. Total digital services trade reached $94 billion
(Dh345 billion), comprising one-third of services trade. Digital services imports, at $42 billion
(Dh154 billion), also ranked 21st, contributing 1.1 percent to global imports, reinforcing the UAE’s
role as a technology hub.

Services trade totalled Dh1.036 trillion ($282 billion) in 2024, with exports of Dh646.6 billion (62.4
percent) and imports of Dh389.4 billion. Information services grew by 14 percent, tourism by 13
percent, computer services by 12 percent, financial services by 9 percent, and transport,
intellectual property, and insurance services by 8 percent each, contributing 26.4 percent to global
trade, the highest share since 2005.

The UAE accounted for 41.4 percent of the Middle East’s $1.5 trillion merchandise exports, with
regional exports growing by 3.7 percent and services by 4.1 percent in 2024. Globally, the UAE
contributed 2 percent to services exports and 1.3 percent to imports, with service exports of $176
billion (Dh646.6 billion) and imports of $106 billion (Dh389.4 billion).

The UAE advanced from 17th to 13th in services exports and from 19th to 21st in services imports
between 2021 and 2024, with services comprising 20 percent of total trade.

In 2024, merchandise sectors grew, with office equipment and telecommunications at 10 percent,
electronics at 6 percent, and agricultural products, food, and clothing at 3 percent each. Industrial
goods rose by 2 percent, and chemicals and textiles by 1 percent, while fuel and mining products
fell by 7 percent, iron and steel by 6 percent, and automobiles by 1 percent. Global merchandise
exports grew by 2 percent, reaching $24.43 trillion.

The UAE’s achievements reflect its strategy of innovation and diversification, positioning it to
navigate a forecasted 0.2 percent decline in global merchandise trade in 2025. Contributing to a 1.6
percent regional GDP growth in 2024, with projections of 3.2 percent in 2025 and 3.5 percent in
2026, the UAE remains resilient. Its economic policies, strategic location, and advanced
infrastructure solidify its role as a global trade hub.

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