8 November 2026
For the first time, the UAE’s foreign trade approached AED 3 trillion in the first nine months of a year. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced the figure on Sunday, 8 November 2026, after reviewing the foreign trade report for January to September 2026. Trade grew 10% year on year, and exports to the country’s ten largest trading partners rose 31%. The National put the total at about USD 817 billion. The announcement did not break the figure down by partner or commodity; the latest detailed dataset is for the first half of 2026, when non-oil foreign trade reached AED 1.937 trillion.
What was announced on 8 November
Sheikh Mohammed published the results in a post on X. The key points:
- foreign trade for January to September 2026 came close to AED 3 trillion, a first for a nine-month period;
- growth was 10% compared with the same period of 2025;
- exports to the ten largest trading partners rose 31% year on year.
“In a year marked by numerous economic and political challenges and shifts in global trade, the UAE remains a major hub for international trade,” he wrote, as quoted by Gulf News. He said the country continues to respond flexibly to changes around it, strengthen its network of international relations and expand its export markets, and congratulated President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the national teams and the UAE’s partners.
The direction had been signalled a few days earlier. In early November, Fahad Al Gergawi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Trade, said at the Dubai FinTech Summit, part of Dubai Future Finance Week, that UAE trade had kept double-digit growth in the first nine months of 2026.
How the nine-month figure compares
The announcement does not state whether the total covers non-oil trade only. For orientation, the table puts the new figure next to the official non-oil foreign trade data for earlier periods.
| Period | Indicator | Value | Change, year on year |
|---|---|---|---|
| January to September 2026 | Foreign trade | close to AED 3 trillion | +10% |
| January to September 2026 | Exports to the ten largest partners | not disclosed | +31% |
| First half of 2026 | Non-oil foreign trade | AED 1.937 trillion | +13.1% |
| First half of 2026 | Non-oil exports | AED 452.8 billion | +23.9% |
| January to September 2025 | Non-oil foreign trade | AED 2.67 trillion | +24.6% |
| January to September 2025 | Non-oil exports | AED 579.4 billion | +42.6% |
| Full year 2025 | Non-oil foreign trade | above AED 3.8 trillion | +26% |
| Full year 2025 | Non-oil exports | AED 813 billion | +45% |
If the nine-month figure is on the same non-oil basis as the earlier data, two things follow. First, 10% growth on the AED 2.67 trillion recorded for January to September 2025 gives about AED 2.94 trillion, in line with the wording “close to AED 3 trillion”. Second, growth would have eased from 13.1% in the first half of 2026 and from 24.6% in the first nine months of 2025. The National noted that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted commercial operations this year and that the UAE moved its trade to alternative routes.
Who the UAE trades with
The nine-month announcement named no individual countries. In the first half of 2026, the largest partners for non-oil trade were:
- China, AED 180.7 billion;
- Switzerland, AED 138.4 billion;
- India, AED 107.5 billion.
Khaleej Times reported that Egypt, Oman and Hong Kong recorded some of the strongest growth rates among the key partners. Gold remained the largest single commodity at AED 706.2 billion, up 48.8% year on year, followed by telecoms equipment at AED 189.7 billion. Non-oil exports made up 23.4% of non-oil trade in the half-year, up from 21.3% a year earlier, so a growing share of the flow is goods shipped out of the UAE rather than brought in. Our article on UAE non-oil trade in the first half of 2026 covers that dataset in detail.
Agreements and routes behind the numbers
The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) programme, launched in 2021, cuts tariffs and simplifies customs procedures with selected countries. According to The National, the UAE has signed 38 CEPAs, 18 of which are in force, with Benin the latest signatory in October 2026. Agreements in force include those with India, Turkey, Jordan, Serbia, Vietnam and Ukraine. The full list is in our overview of the UAE CEPA network.
Trade routes changed during the year as well. After the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, part of the UAE’s cargo moved to the east coast ports of Fujairah and Khor Fakkan and to Omani ports, as Minister of Foreign Trade Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi described at the Hili Forum in September; we covered his speech in our report from the forum. The National noted on 8 November that the UAE channelled its oil and non-oil trade through alternative routes.
The wider economy grew more slowly than trade. According to the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, GDP rose 0.4% to AED 961.9 billion in the first half of 2026, with the non-oil sector accounting for 79.2% of the total. Trade was the largest contributor to non-oil GDP at 16.2%, ahead of financial and insurance services at 15.2%.
What this means for companies trading through the UAE
The announcement does not change any rule, fee or procedure: licensing, customs and CEPA conditions stay as they were. For a company that imports, exports or re-exports through the UAE, the numbers are context for planning, and the practical questions remain the same:
- the licence must cover the right trading activities, either general trading or specific product groups;
- the choice between mainland and free zone determines whether the company can sell directly into the local market and how its goods are treated at customs;
- customs registration with the relevant emirate is needed before the first import or export shipment;
- preferential CEPA tariffs apply only to goods that meet the rules of origin of the agreement, confirmed by a certificate of origin;
- a corporate bank account is needed to receive export proceeds and pay suppliers, and banks review the trade flow, products and counterparties at onboarding.
The differences between the two structures for a trading business are set out in our guide Mainland vs Free Zone company in the UAE.
How Atlant Capital can help
We help trading companies choose the structure and licence activities, register the company in a free zone or on the mainland and prepare the documents for a corporate bank account. Details are on our company setup and bank account opening pages. For questions about a specific product or market, contact us.
Conclusion
UAE foreign trade came close to AED 3 trillion in January to September 2026, up 10%, and exports to the ten largest partners rose 31%. Growth stayed in double digits in a year when the closure of the Strait of Hormuz forced part of the trade onto alternative routes. A breakdown of the nine-month figure by partner and commodity was not part of the announcement.
Source: Khaleej Times, The National.
FAQ
How much was UAE foreign trade in the first nine months of 2026?
Close to AED 3 trillion, about USD 817 billion, for January to September 2026. That is 10% more than a year earlier and the first time a nine-month total has approached this level. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid announced the figure on 8 November 2026.
Who are the UAE’s largest trading partners in 2026?
In the first half of 2026 the largest partners for non-oil trade were China (AED 180.7 billion), Switzerland (AED 138.4 billion) and India (AED 107.5 billion). Egypt, Oman and Hong Kong showed some of the fastest growth. The nine-month announcement did not name individual partners.
How many CEPA agreements does the UAE have?
According to The National, the UAE has signed 38 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements, 18 of which are in force, as of November 2026. Benin became the latest signatory in October 2026. Agreements in force include India, Turkey, Jordan, Serbia, Vietnam and Ukraine.
Does the trade record change anything for companies in the UAE?
No rules, fees or procedures changed with the announcement. A trading company still needs the right licence activities, customs registration and a corporate bank account. Goods qualify for CEPA tariffs only if they meet the rules of origin of the relevant agreement.
