UAE Sustains Global Trade Edge, Sees 25% Growth in Early 2025

UAE, 21 April, 2025 : Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, affirmed that the UAE continues to lead in global trade and maintain competitiveness, guided by the country’s visionary leadership. His remarks followed the release of the World Trade Organisation’s latest “World Trade Outlook and Statistics” report.

Speaking to Emirates News Agency (WAM), Al Zeyoudi said the UAE has ranked among the top global trade hubs since 2014, holding the leading position in the Middle East and Africa. He noted that services contribute 20% of the UAE’s total trade.

He attributed the growth in foreign trade to the country’s open economy, investor-friendly policies, and the success of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPA) programme, which have strengthened the UAE’s global trade links. He also highlighted the critical role of semi-government entities and the private sector.

Preliminary data shows the UAE’s foreign trade surged by 25% in January 2025. The country also ranked among the top exporters of digital services in 2024, with key growth in finance, hospitality, information, and transport sectors.

The WTO report projects a 0.2% decline in global goods trade in 2025, followed by a 2.5% rebound in 2026. Services trade is expected to grow steadily at 4% in 2025 and 4.1% in 2026. In 2024, global services trade accounted for 26.4% of total trade, the highest share since 2005.