UAE Strengthens Position as Global Trade Leader: Dr. Al Zeyoudi
ABU DHABI, 20th April 2025: Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, the UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade, has reaffirmed the nation’s growing prominence in global trade, emphasizing that the UAE remains at the forefront of international trade competitiveness. He pointed out that the nation’s progressive policies and the direction of its visionary leadership are directly responsible for this leadership.
Al Zeyoudi cited the most recent “World Trade Outlook and Statistics” report from the World Trade Organization (WTO) as evidence of the UAE’s steady international standing. The UAE continues to dominate the Middle East and Africa in the trade of products and services, and it has maintained a strong position as one of the world’s major trading hubs since 2014. Interestingly, services account for over 20% of the UAE’s overall international commerce, underscoring the trade portfolio’s resiliency and diversity.
This accomplishment was attributed by Dr. Al Zeyoudi to a number of important elements, such as the UAE’s open economic model, investor-friendly climate, progressive laws, and the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPA) the country has signed with major international economies. Through these initiatives, the UAE’s commerce network has grown considerably, allowing it to easily access markets on other continents.
He also praised the private sector and semi-government organizations for their crucial contributions to the UAE’s trade achievements. “Their contributions are essential to raising the nation’s profile in international trade,” he said.
With international trade up 25% in January alone, early indicators for 2025 are already encouraging and point to another successful year for the UAE’s external economic ties.
Dr. Al Zeyoudi also emphasized how the UAE’s strategic investments in industries prepared for the future have made it a leading supplier of digital services worldwide in 2024. The UAE’s transition into a diversified economic powerhouse has been further supported by the strong growth that digital services, along with banking, hospitality, information technology, and transportation, have displayed, ranging between 9% and 14%.
According to the WTO report, global trade in goods is expected to decline slightly by 0.2% in 2025, with a modest recovery forecasted for 2026. In contrast, services trade is expected to grow steadily, with an increase of 4.0% in 2025 and 4.1% in 2026. In 2024, services trade rose by 6.8%, outpacing goods trade by 2.9%. The report also highlights that services contributed 26.4% to global trade in 2024, the highest share since 2005.
This trend is in line with the UAE’s economic strategy, which places a strong focus on innovation-driven, knowledge-based sectors. Dr. Al Seyoudi’s comments underscore the UAE’s commitment to adapting to global trade changes while strengthening its role as a key player in the international economy.
