UAE maintains trade leadership and competitiveness: Al Zeyoudi
Dr Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, stated that the United Arab Emirates, guided by the directives of its wise leadership, continues to lead and maintain its competitiveness on the global trade map. This was reaffirmed by the latest World Trade Organisation (WTO) report titled 'World Trade Outlook and Statistics'.
In statements to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Al Zeyoudi highlighted that the UAE has consistently ranked among the top global trade hubs since 2014, holding the leading position in the Middle East and Africa for trade in goods and services, noting that trade in services accounts for 20 per cent of the UAE's total trade with the world.
He attributed the significant growth in the UAE's foreign trade to the country's open economy, its ability to attract investors, flexible policies and regulations, and its Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPA) programme. These factors have helped forge a global trade network linking the UAE with international markets.
He also underscored the pivotal role of semi-government entities and the private sector in boosting the country's global trade profile.
Al Zeyoudi revealed that the UAE's foreign trade continues to achieve significant growth, with preliminary estimates indicating a 25 per cent increase in the first month of 2025.
He added that the UAE ranked among the top global exporters of digital services in 2024, reflecting the ongoing development of this vital sector. Key service segments that recorded notable growth include finance, hospitality, information, and transport, with growth rates ranging between 9 and 14 per cent.
According to the WTO report, global trade in goods is expected to contract by 0.2 per cent in 2025 under current tariff conditions, before rebounding modestly by 2.5 per cent in 2026. Meanwhile, global trade in services - although not directly subject to tariffs − is projected to grow by 4.0 per cent in 2025 and 4.1 per cent in 2026.
The report also noted that despite a 2.9 per cent increase in global goods trade and a 6.8 per cent rise in services trade in 2024, global GDP grew by 2.8 per cent. The total value of goods exports rose by 2 per cent to reach US$24.43 trillion, while services grew by 9 per cent to US$8.69 trillion. Services contributed 26.4 per cent of global trade in 2024, marking the highest share since 2005.
The United Arab Emirates recorded total foreign trade of Dhs5.23 trillion (US$1.424 trillion) in 2024, a 49 per cent increase from Dhs3.5 trillion (US$949 billion) in 2021, according to the World Trade Organisation's 'World Trade Outlook and Statistics' report.
This robust growth reflects the UAE's strategic economic vision, reinforcing its position as the leading trade hub in the Middle East and Africa since 2014 and among the top 20 global trade centres for goods and services.
In a global trade environment marked by 2.9 per cent growth in merchandise trade and 6.8 per cent in services trade in 2024, the UAE's performance underscores its resilience amid rising tariffs and uncertainties.
The UAE climbed from 17th to 11th globally in merchandise exports and from 18th to 14th in imports between 2021 and 2024, contributing 2.5 per cent to global merchandise exports and 2.2 per cent to imports. Exports reached US$603 billion (Dhs2.2153 trillion), and imports totalled US$539 billion (Dhs1.9802 trillion) in 2024.
The UAE ranked 21st globally in digital services exports, valued at US$52 billion (Dhs191 billion) in 2024, up from US$37 billion in 2021 and US$48 billion in 2023. Total digital services trade reached US$94 billion (Dhs345 billion), comprising one-third of services trade. Digital services imports, at US$42 billion (Dhs154 billion), also ranked 21st, contributing 1.1 per cent to global imports, reinforcing the UAE's role as a technology hub.
Services trade totalled Dhs1.036 trillion (US$282 billion) in 2024, with exports of Dhs646.6 billion (62.4 per cent) and imports of Dhs389.4 billion. Information services grew by 14 per cent, tourism by 13 per cent, computer services by 12 per cent, financial services by 9 per cent, and transport, intellectual property, and insurance services by 8 per cent each, contributing 26.4 per cent to global trade, the highest share since 2005.
The UAE accounted for 41.4 per cent of the Middle East's US$1.5 trillion merchandise exports, with regional exports growing by 3.7 per cent and services by 4.1 per cent in 2024. Globally, the UAE contributed 2 per cent to services exports and 1.3 per cent to imports, with service exports of US$176 billion (Dhs646.6 billion) and imports of US$106 billion (Dhs389.4 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 per cent of total trade.
In 2024, merchandise sectors grew, with office equipment and telecommunications at 10 per cent, electronics at 6 per cent, and agricultural products, food, and clothing at 3 per cent each.
WAM
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arabian Post
2 hours ago
- Arabian Post
Harrison Street Begins Middle East Push From Abu Dhabi
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Harrison Street, a US-headquartered real assets investment firm with over $56 billion in assets under management, has formally expanded into the Middle East by establishing an office within the Abu Dhabi Global Market, after receiving regulatory approval from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority. The move is being viewed as a strategic step to tap into the region's institutional capital base and aligns with Abu Dhabi's ambitions to attract global investment managers. The firm's new office, located at ADGM's Al Sila Tower, is expected to anchor its regional operations and serve as a platform for growth across the Gulf and wider MENA region. Harrison Street becomes the latest in a line of global asset managers to choose Abu Dhabi as a regional headquarters, following similar moves by BlackRock, Brevan Howard, and Apollo Global Management. The announcement underscores the appeal of ADGM as a regulated environment that offers tax benefits, legal certainty, and direct access to sovereign wealth and pension funds. ADVERTISEMENT Christopher Merrill, co-founder and CEO of Harrison Street, described the expansion as a natural extension of the firm's long-term growth strategy. He emphasised that the company is aiming to offer institutional investors across the Middle East access to thematic investment opportunities in alternative real assets, including student housing, senior living, healthcare infrastructure, and digital assets. Merrill said the firm sees 'substantial appetite among Gulf-based investors for exposure to long-duration, inflation-protected assets with stable yield profiles.' While Harrison Street has traditionally focused on North America and Europe, its new ADGM base signals an intention to deepen partnerships with investors in the Gulf region. The decision is also part of a broader effort to diversify funding sources and tailor strategies that align with regional priorities such as healthcare expansion, demographic shifts, and digital infrastructure. The ADGM licence will enable Harrison Street to carry out regulated investment activities and offer tailored asset management services to qualified investors in the UAE and beyond. According to the firm's regional head, who is set to be announced in the coming weeks, the Abu Dhabi office will focus on both capital raising and direct investment origination, particularly in sectors aligned with government-backed development goals across the Gulf. Industry observers say Abu Dhabi's financial centre has matured into a viable launchpad for international firms targeting sovereign and institutional capital. With assets under management in ADGM growing to over $1 trillion this year, the financial centre is increasingly positioning itself as a global hub for private equity, venture capital, and asset management. Harrison Street's entry follows a regulatory trend where ADGM has been accelerating approvals for asset managers, family offices, and hedge funds in a bid to rival more established global centres. Global interest in Middle East capital pools has surged, with firms across Europe and the US actively seeking to establish an on-the-ground presence. Harrison Street's thematic investment strategy, focused on secular trends such as ageing populations and technological adoption, is seen to resonate well with Gulf investors pursuing diversification beyond traditional energy-linked assets. Merrill indicated that the firm will look to build co-investment partnerships and joint ventures with local institutions, leveraging its experience in structuring real estate and infrastructure funds across developed markets. He also hinted at the possibility of localised strategies that may include greenfield development and operating partnerships in sectors like education and senior care, particularly in markets undergoing demographic transition such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE. ADGM authorities welcomed the firm's entry as further validation of Abu Dhabi's rising influence in the global investment ecosystem. The financial centre has actively courted global asset managers through a mixture of regulatory reforms, dual licensing frameworks, and strategic partnerships with Abu Dhabi Investment Office and Mubadala.
Arabian Post
3 hours ago
- Arabian Post
Saudi Oil Flow to China Inches Down Amid OPEC+ Expansion
Saudi Arabia will export about 47 million barrels of crude to China in July, marking a modest decline of one million barrels compared with June allocations. Despite the slight reduction, this remains the third consecutive month of elevated shipments to the world's largest crude importer, underscoring Riyadh's resurgence in securing market share. This shift follows a decision by OPEC+—a coalition of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and key allies—to increase collective oil production by 411,000 barrels per day in July, mirroring identical output hikes in May and June. Within this framework, Saudi Arabia has strategically adjusted its allocations across refiners within China's vast energy landscape. State-owned giants Sinopec and PetroChina, alongside the Aramco-Sinopec joint-venture Fujian refinery, are designated to receive greater volumes in July. Conversely, independent processors such as Rongsheng Petrochemical, Hengli Petrochemical, and Shenghong Petrochemical face reductions. This redistribution highlights a prioritisation of established, integrally linked buyers amid a backdrop of expanding OPEC+ supply. ADVERTISEMENT Although Aramco has yet to comment publicly, the company's allocation strategy aligns with broader pricing adjustments. Saudi Arabia recently reduced the official selling price of its Arab Light grade to Asia for July, setting it at $1.20 per barrel above the Oman/Dubai benchmark—20 cents less than June's pricing and the lowest benchmark since May. This pricing decision reflects two intertwined considerations: increased global supply and sustained domestic demand. Internally, Saudi Arabia ramps up crude consumption for power generation and refinery throughput during the summer months. This seasonal domestic demand can restrict exportable volumes, prompting a more conservative OSP reduction compared with the broader cutbacks anticipated by markets. Meanwhile, the continued output expansion under OPEC+ serves both competitive and geopolitical objectives, helping Riyadh reclaim influence in key markets. OPEC+ members have collectively unwound approximately 1.37 million bpd of previously implemented cuts since April, which form part of an initial 2.2 million bpd reduction plan initiated in early 2025. The restored output aims to counterbalance growing global non-OPEC production and mitigate domestic political pressure—particularly from the US, which has advocated for greater oil supply. Notably, seven other nations in the coalition also agreed to this third consecutive increase, reinforcing OPEC+'s strategic shift towards output recovery. Market analysts indicate that larger increases in crude availability have begun to weigh upon Middle Eastern benchmarks, with the June OSP developments 'less aggressive' than anticipated, partly due to Saudi Arabia's own intensified refinery runs. Global demand dynamics further complicate the outlook, with potential softening in Chinese economic indicators and US-China trade negotiations influencing futures pricing. This recalibrated export approach reflects a nuanced balancing act for Saudi Arabia: securing long-term contracts with major Chinese refiners while managing domestic consumption and contributing effectively to global supply strategies. Analysts point out that the kingdom has largely succeeded. Brent crude futures have remained stable around $65 per barrel, with occasional upward pressure following confirmation of July's OPEC+ increment. ADVERTISEMENT Within China, diversions in allocations have specific implications. State refiners, many with government backing and deeper logistical links to Aramco, stand to gain from increased shipments. Independent refiners, essential drivers of private-sector energy demand, are compelled to source a greater share of crude from alternative suppliers such as Russia, the Middle East, or emerging West African producers. Their reduced access to Saudi barrels may translate to thinner margins amid said competition. Chinese crude throughput data underscores this evolving dynamic. Earlier this year, the nation's refiners reached record-high processing levels—nearing 14.8 million barrels per day—yet faced maintenance schedules and weakening export margins for oil products. These factors have cooled demand from some processors, slightly alleviating pressure on upstream supply chains. Within OPEC+, calls for coherence and strict quota compliance persist. Saudi Arabia has publicly censured members like Kazakhstan for exceeding agreed production levels, underlining Riyadh's insistence on an equitable distribution of output responsibilities. Expectations remain that OPEC+ may complete the unwind of its 2.2 million bpd voluntary cuts by the end of September, though some analysts caution that internal discipline could falter, potentially reshaping future output and pricing trajectories. Against this backdrop, Saudi Arabia's adjusted supply to China illustrates both strategic recalibration and geographic realignment. By trimming shipments marginally from independents, bolstering allocations to state-linked refiners, recalibrating export prices, and synchronising with collective OPEC+ policies, the kingdom is reinforcing its position in a price-sensitive, competitive marketplace. July's allocations represent not a retreat but a fine-tuned manoeuvre in a complex global chessboard. Saudi Arabia is both maintaining influence and responding to evolving domestic and international demands. While Chinese imports continue at robust levels, the marginal dip signals a deliberate redistribution rather than a market-driven contraction.
Arabian Post
3 hours ago
- Arabian Post
Arqaam Capital Intensifies ECM and DCM Push Amid Gulf Deal Boom
Arqaam Capital is stepping up its equity capital markets, debt capital markets, and loan syndication operations in response to an upswing in transaction volume across Saudi Arabia and the UAE, positioning itself as a more prominent regional player. The Dubai‑based financial services firm, with licenced offices in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Lebanon, has secured permissions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to advise on ECM mandates. Rawad Kassouf, Head of ECM Execution & Syndicate, noted that the Saudi team is undergoing expansion and actively leveraging a 27‑strong research analyst base to deepen research capabilities and strengthen regional and international distribution for issuers. Arqaam, originally a sales and trading brokerage, entered the ECM arena by managing the Dubai Holding REIT as a joint bookrunner. Kassouf, who joined from ADCB in August 2024 to spearhead ECM expansion, said, 'We're getting deals from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman, and we expect to advise on more ECM transactions by year end'. He anticipates increasing activity in Saudi listings, particularly from industrial and real estate sectors driven by large family-owned businesses seeking to list on Tadawul. ADVERTISEMENT Expansion across the debt-markets is being led by Omar Musharraf, newly appointed Managing Director of Debt Solutions and DCM. Musharraf joined less than two months ago from Oman Investment Bank, where he headed structured finance and DCM. At Arqaam, he is tasked with growing the debt platform by anchoring flow business in DCM and loan syndications, as well as higher‑margin structured finance and private credit. GCC debt capital markets had outstanding debt exceeding US$1 trillion by end‑Q1 2025, rising 10 % year‑on‑year, with quarterly issuance hitting US$89 billion—a modest 3 % year‑on‑year decline despite quarterly growth. Musharraf remarked on the sophistication of issuances and tighter pricing, increasing competition and compressing fees: 'Value creation now hinges on structuring complexity and execution'. By year‑end, Musharraf expects a full debt solutions strategy supported by new fixed‑income analysts added to the research team. Arqaam has already supported key transactions, such as the Sobha deal, and is involved in several additional corporate, financial institution, and sovereign debt transactions, also evaluating private credit opportunities. The firm is staging its DCM expansion prudently, targeting high‑quality credit issuers—government‑linked entities or private sector firms aligned with regional priorities, including oil and gas. It is also aiming to tap deeper into sukuk markets and Additional Tier 1 issuances across Saudi and the UAE. New regulatory standards are catching attention: AAOIFI's Standard 62 introduces potential complexities to sukuk issuance, prompting careful monitoring by Arqaam. ADVERTISEMENT Forecasts indicate around US$35 billion of debt refinancing across the GCC in 2025–26, driven by sovereign and corporate maturities as well as infrastructure financing and economic diversification strategies. Musharraf commented, 'Debt refinancing alone will keep us active, with a significant volume of sovereign, corporate and FI maturities on the horizon,' alongside new issuances from regional and global players. Kassouf highlights Oman as a potential growth market: an upgrade from frontier to emerging market status—possibly scheduled for next year—could attract increased foreign direct investment, re‑ratings and valuation boosts. Despite the growth trajectory, both ECM and DCM businesses face pressures. Kassouf points to 'tight fees and stiff competition,' especially in post-launch aftermarket performance, which requires a delicate equilibrium between issuer objectives and investor returns. Musharraf echoes this sentiment, acknowledging fee compression and the escalating demand for intricate structuring. Arqaam is taking a strategic approach in response. The firm is intensifying recruitment across ECM and DCM, enhancing its research infrastructure to include fixed-income analysts and emphasising structuring capabilities that justify its advisory fees. This expansion is underpinned by strong macroeconomic fundamentals in the Gulf region. Saudi Arabia—responsible for 45.1 % of GCC DCM outstanding—and the UAE, with Qatar, are at the forefront. ECM activity is gaining momentum, with growing participation from real estate conglomerates looking to diversify via public listings. Government‑related entities are expected to fuel much of the pipeline in Q3 and Q4, though privately owned firms are increasingly opining on listing possibilities. Oman's evolving market classification adds another source of upside, potentially drawing new players and capital. Looking ahead, Arqaam Capital seems poised to navigate the complexities of Gulf capital markets with a reinforced advisory model, deeper research backing, and a dual‑track strategy across ECM and DCM. The firm is strategically augmenting its teams, refining product offerings, and tracking regulatory and market shifts to capitalise on Gulf investment flows while standing firm against competitive and pricing headwinds.
