Whoever bets on the UAE is betting on growth, prosperity and a better future

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, confirmed that whoever bets on the UAE is betting on growth, prosperity and a better future.

His Highness said in a blog post on the “X” platform yesterday: “In the latest report of the World Trade Organization, the UAE enters the list of the world’s top ten in merchandise exports for the first time in its history, advancing from 17th place globally to ninth place in just five years. Our total foreign trade last year amounted to six trillion dirhams ($1.6 trillion), a growth of 15% over the previous year, and a trade balance surplus with countries of the world amounted to 584 billion dirhams in merchandise and service trade with all countries of the world.

His Highness added: “Whoever bets on the UAE is betting on growth, betting on prosperity, and betting on a better future, God willing.”

The “World Trade Prospects and Statistics” report issued by the World Trade Organization showed that for the first time in its history, the UAE entered the list of the top 10 global exports of goods, ranking ninth among the largest countries exporting goods in the world.

The report also celebrated the exceptional growth in the UAE’s total foreign trade, noting that it recorded six trillion dirhams ($1.63 trillion) in 2025, compared to 5.23 trillion dirhams ($1.42 trillion) in 2024, a growth of approximately 15%. These figures include the country’s foreign trade in goods and services, including oil exports.

The report indicated that the country’s trade in services recorded, for the first time in its history, 1.14 trillion dirhams in 2025, noting that the country’s trade in non-oil goods had reached 3.8 trillion dirhams in 2025, with a historical annual increase of 27%.

The report monitored the record growth witnessed by the UAE’s foreign trade in goods and services combined in recent years, as the value of its trade with the world rose from $949 billion (3.5 trillion dirhams) in 2021 to $1.424 trillion (5.23 trillion dirhams) in 2024, and the UAE continued its upward march to reach $1.637 trillion (6.014 trillion dirhams) in 2020. 2025, and these figures include trade in both goods and services.

The surplus in the balance of merchandise and services trade with the world reached 584.1 billion dirhams in 2025, compared to 492.3 billion dirhams in 2024, meaning that the country achieved a growth in its trade surplus by 19% in just one year. The numbers reflect the advanced position that the UAE occupies in global trade, as it ranked ninth in the world in merchandise exports, and 13th in merchandise imports during the year 2025. The UAE’s contribution to global merchandise exports reached 3.3%, and to the world’s merchandise imports 2.8%, while its contribution to global services exports reached 2%, and to the world’s imports of services 1.4%.

In the digital services sector, the UAE ranked 25th in the world with a value of exports amounting to $33 billion, with a contribution of 0.6% of the world’s exports of digital services, and this vital sector constitutes 17% of the UAE’s total exports of services to the world.

Since 2014, the UAE has maintained its leadership as the first country in the Middle East and Africa in trade with the world, and rose from 17th to ninth place globally in merchandise exports in less than five years, which reflects the dynamism and high flexibility of the national economy.

The Minister of Foreign Trade, Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, confirmed that the achievements of the UAE in the field of foreign trade, which were monitored in its latest reports by the World Trade Organization, are one of the fruits of the forward-looking vision of the wise leadership, and its directives for greater openness to the world for trade and investment.

He said that the country’s entry into the top 10 in merchandise exports, for the first time in its history, is a new international testimony to the UAE’s leadership and competitiveness, and reflects the international community’s confidence in the national economy and its ability to achieve qualitative leaps in various global indicators.

He pointed out that the latest World Trade Organization report proves that the UAE has become a pivotal player in the global trade system, and that the open economic policies adopted by the country continue to achieve exceptional results at all levels.

He added that the strength of the UAE economy and the diversity of its sectors, whether in goods, services or digital services, represent the basic foundation of this achievement, as the figures showed that the country’s foreign trade in goods and services together amounted to 6.014 trillion dirhams in 2025, with a record trade surplus of 584.1 billion dirhams achieved.

He stressed that the UAE continues to strengthen its position among the most important trade centers for goods and services in the world, and that service sectors, such as financial services, logistics, hospitality, information technology, transportation, and others, have witnessed growth rates ranging between 9% and 14%, which reflects the vitality of the national economy and its ability to keep pace with global changes, and overcome the challenges resulting from the geopolitical tensions that the world and the region are currently witnessing.

Al-Zeyoudi also stressed that the UAE is accustomed to turning challenges into opportunities, as previous years have proven, and that the country is steadily moving towards achieving more achievements, and that it is determined to continue the path of growth and development, and to reserve a more advanced position on the map of global trade, based on the vision of its wise leadership, the will of its people, and its open economic policies that place sustainability and innovation at the core of its priorities, and its diversified economy that has the flexibility necessary to overcome current challenges.