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29 March 2024

Dubai non-oil foreign trade at Dh952bn in Q3 of 2016

Published
By Staff

Dubai saw a 11 per cent surge in the total volume of traded goods in the first nine months of 2016, rising as high as 70.82 million tons of commodities.

Imports had the lion’s share at Dh594 billion (46.81m tonnes and 12 per cent increase), while exports and re-exports accounted for Dh109 billion (11.84m tonnes and eight per cent increase) and Dh249 billion (12.17m tonnes and 10.5 per cent increase), respectively.

This pushes the total value of Dubai’s trade up to Dh952bn. 

 “To offset the impact of the general slowdown in world economy, lower commodity prices and the slump in oil prices, Dubai has wisely restructured and broadened its sources of revenue while taking considerable measures to stimulate growth in the affected sectors,” said DP World Group Chairman and CEO and Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem.

Dubai, according to Bin Sulayem, has early on realised that attracting foreign investments is a necessary must-do step.

To maintain Dubai’s business appeal, an advanced trade infrastructure, convenient government services at seaports and airports, a well-established legislative structure and a unique public-private partnership were all in place.

“We are moving steadily towards the achievement of UAE Vision 2021 and Dubai Plan 2021, and working hard to maintain and raise the profile of Dubai as a regional and international trade hub following the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai” bin Sulayem added. 

Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director of Dubai Customs said that Dubai Customs was the first to introduce many advanced systems and programs in support of Dubai’s efforts to host Dubai Expo 2020. 

“We are offering a plethora of facilities and advanced services to traders and investors that will make their business with Dubai a memorable experience. For example, the AEO programme successfully took off and continues to be implemented across the UAE under the aegis of the Federal Customs Authority.

The new economic scheme follows the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, towards boosting the performance of the UAE’s foreign trade to better secure the UAE’s post-oil future.

"The AEO programme will create seamless commercial links between the UAE and the rest of the world” he added. 

Mobile phones topped the list of high-value commodities in Dubai’s foreign trade in the first nine months of this year with Dh124bn worth of trade, and computers at Dh30bn.

This supports Dubai’s transformation into the world’s smartest city and its growth as one of the region’s and the world’s major trading hub for smart ICT products.   

Next on the list was gold with Dh116bn worth of trade, followed by diamonds at Dh73bn, and jewelry at Dh46bn.

On the other hand, Dubai’s foreign trade in automobiles in the first 9 months of 2016 stood at Dh44bn, and the value of petroleum oils reached Dh30bn.

With a bilateral trade worth Dh120.8bn, China was — by far — Dubai’s primary trading partner in the first 9 months of 2016.

India came in second with bilateral trade at Dh70.4bn.

The USA followed with Dh64bn trade value, which means a six per cent increase compared to the first nine months of 2015. 

Once again, Saudi Arabia was Dubai’s fourth top trading partner globally and first in the GCC and Arab regions, at Dh39.4bn.

Moreover, a substantial increase of 64 per cent in trade value was recorded between Switzerland and Dubai, taking their two-way commerce to Dh36bn.