The UAE’s non-oil foreign trade reached approximately AED3.8 trillion ($1.03 trillion) in 2025, recording growth of 27% compared to 2024 and 44.3% compared to 2023. 

It also achieved growth of 65% and 97.4% compared to 2022 and 2021 respectively, nearing double the value recorded in 2021 and exceeding twice the level of 2019, reported Wam.

On the key achievement, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, said the UAE has completed the development of its investment ecosystem, doubled its international partnerships, strengthened co-operation with the private sector, and consolidated global confidence in the UAE.

"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 (AED3.8 trillion), an increase of 26.8% compared to the previous year. Our non-oil exports, according to a new report I reviewed today, exceeded AED813 billion, achieving exceptional growth of 45.5% year-on-year,” remarked Sheikh Mohammed.

"These figures were targets we announced three years ago to be achieved by 2031. We have realised 95% of them five years ahead of schedule. Our investment environment is complete, our international partnerships have doubled, our partnerships with the private sector have been strengthened," he stated.

"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 added.

In the final quarter of 2025, the UAE’s non-oil trade reached AED1.1 trillion for the first time in its history, marking growth of 33.1%. 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% compared to the corresponding quarter of 2024 and 12% compared to the third quarter of 2025.

By the end of 2025, the contribution of exports rose to 21.6% of the UAE’s total non-oil trade for the first time, compared to 18.8% at the end of 2024, 16.5% in 2022, and just 14.1% six years ago in 2019.

Non-oil exports reached AED813.8 billion by the end of 2025, achieving growth of more than 45.5% compared to 2024 and an increase of 85% compared to 2023. This continues their upward trajectory over recent years, surpassing three times the export value recorded in 2019 and more than double the figures of 2021 and 2022. Non-oil exports were the strongest-performing and fastest-growing component of the UAE’s non-oil merchandise trade, raising their share of total non-oil trade to 21.6% and exceeding the targets of the “We the UAE 2031” vision by more than AED13.8 billion.

Among the UAE’s key export partners, exports to countries with Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs) that had entered into force by the end of 2025 — numbering 14 countries — amounted to AED175.5 billion, recording growth of 18.2% and accounting for 21.6% of the UAE’s total exports to the world during 2025.

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% compared to 2024, with the highest growth recorded in precious metal compounds, plastic products, gold and jewellery, perfumes, aluminium, and copper wires.

Re-exports reached AED 830.2 billion ($226 billion) by the end of 2025, recording growth of 15.7% compared to 2024, and increases of 21.3% and 29% compared to 2023 and 2022 respectively.

Imports of non-oil goods exceeded AED2.1 trillion ($577.6 billion) in 2025, achieving growth of 25.7% compared to 2024. Imports grew by 27.2% with the UAE’s top 10 trading partners and by 23.3% with the rest of the world. The leading imported goods during 2025 included gold, mobile phones, cars, petroleum oils, jewellery and related products, diamonds, and computers. The top 10 imported goods recorded growth of 32.4%, while other goods grew by 16%.

The final quarter of 2025 witnessed exceptional performance in the UAE’s non-oil foreign trade, which for the first time exceeded the AED1 trillion mark within a three-month period, from early October to the end of December 2025. Trade during this period reached AED1.1 trillion, growing by 33.1% compared to the same period in 2024 and by 16% compared to the third quarter of 2025.

Non-oil exports during the final quarter of 2025 amounted to AED234.4 billion - equivalent to the UAE’s total non-oil exports for the whole of 2019 - representing growth of 53.2% compared to the corresponding quarter of 2024 and an increase of 12% compared to the third quarter of 2025.