‎DIEZ H1 trade hits record AED 246B

‎<p class="ckeCaption"><span ><span class="ckeCaption" ><img src="https://argaamplus.s3.amazonaws.com/81e6c2b0-a4da-4020-a5cb-7bedb32d1050.png" ></span></span>Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ) building.</p> <hr> <p dir="ltr" >Trade across the three economic zones under the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ) rose 17% year-on-year (YoY) to AED 246 billion in H1 2026, compared to the same period last year, marking a record first-half performance for the sixth consecutive year.</p> <p dir="ltr" ><br> According to a government statement, DIEZ's contribution to Dubai's non-oil trade increased to nearly 16% in H1 2026, up from 15.4% in the same period of 2025.</p> <p dir="ltr" ><br> Imports rose 14% to AED 134.8 billion, while re-exports climbed 22% to AED 108.8 billion. Direct exports stood at approximately AED 2.4 billion.</p> <p dir="ltr" ><br> Meanwhile, trade volume declined to around 270,000 tons in H1 2026, compared to approximately 298,000 tons a year earlier.</p> <p dir="ltr" ></p> <p dir="ltr" ></p> <table align="center" border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" dir="ltr" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr > <td colspan="3" > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong>DIEZ Trade in H1 2026</strong></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Trade type</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Value (AED bln</span></strong></span></span><strong >)</strong></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >YoY change (<span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span><span >)</span></span></strong></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong>Imports</strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span >134.8</span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >+14</span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong>Re-exports</strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span >108.8</span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >+22</span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong>Direct exports</strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span >2.4</span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span >--</span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Total trade</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >246.0</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >+17</span></strong><strong><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></strong></span></span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div ><br> Machinery, mechanical appliances and electrical equipment accounted for approximately 66% of DIEZ's total trade in H1 2026. Precious stones, precious metals, jewelry and related articles represented around 30%, up 18% YoY. Together, the two categories made up nearly 96% of total trade.</div> <div ><br> China topped DIEZ's list of trading partners, with trade valued at AED 69.8 billion, accounting for 28.4% of the total, followed by Saudi Arabia at AED 26.5 billion.</div> <div ></div> <table align="center" border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" dir="ltr" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr > <td colspan="3" > <p dir="ltr" ><strong >DIEZ </strong><span ><span ><strong>Largest Trading Partners in H1 2026</strong></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Country</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Trade value (AED bln)</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Share of total</span></strong> <strong><span > trade </span></strong><strong><span >(</span></strong><strong><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></strong><strong><span >)</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong>China</strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span >69.8</span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span >28.4 <span dir="LTR">%</span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong>Saudi Arabia</strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span >26.5</span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span >10.8 <span dir="LTR">%</span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong>India</strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span >17.6</span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span >7.2 <span dir="LTR">%</span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong>Vietnam</strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span >13.2</span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span >5.4 <span dir="LTR">%</span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div ><br> DIEZ comprises three economic zones: Dubai Airport Freezone, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai CommerCity.<br> <br> </div>

Publication

Argaam - UAE News · Trade Publication

Published

19th October 2026

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argaam.com

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