Dubai: Dubai’s non-oil foreign trade dipped 3.6 per cent to Dh1.283 trillion in 2015, down from Dh1.331 trillion in 2014.
Announcing the 2015 figure on Tuesday, His Highness Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, said imports accounted for Dh796 billion of the total, exports Dh132 billion and re-exports Dh355 million.
Shaikh Hamdan said Dubai’s trade sector continues to demonstrate strong performance and significantly contributes to the country’s economic growth.
The volume of traded goods rose by 6 per cent to 85 million tonnes, compared to 81 million in 2014.
Dubai Media Office said in a statement that despite the fluctuations in international trade in 2015, the slump in global markets and the decline in basic commodity prices, Dubai has diversified its foreign trade, seeing significant growth in the trade of mobile phones, which accounted for Dh185 billion, and computers, with trade worth Dh46 billion.
China retains its position as Dubai’s top trading partner, with trade worth Dh176 billion in 2015, up marginally from Dh175 billion in 2014, when it overtook India, which retains its second place with Dh96 billion worth of trade in 2015.
Saudi Arabia remains Dubai’s top GCC and Arab trade partner, with a total value of Dh57 billion.
