By Shaimaa Hefzy

The UAE’s non-oil foreign trade grew by about 13% year-on-year during the first half of 2026, despite the tensions in the Middle East region since the outbreak of the Iran war at the end of February, and supported by growth in exports.

According to data carried by the official UAE news agency WAM on Sunday, the Gulf state's non-oil trade reached approximately 1.937 trillion dirhams ($527.4 billion) in the first half of the year, marking the first time it has approached 2 trillion dirhams in a six-month period. The UAE has been subjected to Iranian attacks since the outbreak of the war, which have impacted several sectors, including travel, aviation, and supply chains.

Gold topped the list of traded commodities and alone represented more than a third of the value of the UAE’s non-oil trade during the first half, with a value of AED 706.2 billion and a growth of 48.8% year-on-year, followed by the mobile phone sector with a value of AED 189.7 billion.

Non-oil exports grew during the first half of the year by 23.9% year-on-year to reach AED 452.8 billion, and their contribution to total non-oil foreign trade rose to 23.4%, compared to 21.3% during the first half of 2025, according to WAM data.

(Prepared by: Shaimaa Hefzy, Edited by: Fatima El-Kashef, Contact: zawya.arabic@lseg.com )

#Economic News