Abu Dhabi: The UAE’s policy of economic diversification and building sustainable national industries helped save the country’s status as a world trade hub, and the trade gateway to the near and Middle East and North Africa, Ali Al Ka’abi, Chairman of the Federal Customs Authority (FCA), said.

FCA data showed on Saturday that the UAE’s direct non-oil trade recorded Dh269.5 billion during the first quarter of 2016, maintaining almost the same figures achieved in the first quarter of last year, said the Federal Customs Authority (FCA).

FCA said its preliminary statistics show that imports, Dh166.1 billion, accounted for more than half of the UAE non-oil foreign trade during the first quarter of this year, while exports recorded Dh46.8 billion and exports Dh56.6 billion in the same period.

In terms of weight, the UAE total non-oil trade in the first quarter of 2016 recorded 48.4 million tonnes: 18 million tonnes of imports, 28.2 million tonnes of exports and 2.2 million tonnes of re-exports.

Trade partners

In its statement, the FCA indicated that the list of UAE non-oil trade partners remained stable, region-wise, during the first quarter of 2016 as regions retained their respective shares of total trade despite slowing growth rates in several key countries.

Asia, Australia and the Pacific maintained top rank among UAE non-oil trade partners with a share of Dh108.3 billion or 42 per cent of UAE non-oil trade for the first quarter of this year.

With a share of Dh66.7 billion (25 per cent), Europe ranked second. Next, came the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, with a share of Dh42.7 billion (16 per cent), America and the Caribbean with a share of Dh27.4 billion (10 per cent), West and Central Africa with a share of Dh9.4 billion (4 per cent), and, last, East and South Africa with a share of Dh7.4 billion or 3 per cent of UAE non-oil trade during The first quarter of this year.

Region-wise, 43 per cent of UAE non-oil imports in the first quarter of 2016 came from Asia, Australia and the Pacific with a value of Dh70 billion. Europe came second with a share of Dh43.8 billion (27 per cent).

With a share of Dh23.3 billion (14 per cent of UAE non-oil imports), America and the Caribbean ranked third. Next, came Mena with a share of Dh13.9 billion (9 per cent), West and Central Africa with a share of Dh7.9 billion (5 per cent), while East and South Africa came last with a share of Dh4.4 billion or 3 per cent of UAE non-oil imports during The first quarter of this year.

For UAE non-oil exports during The first quarter of 2016, the FCA announced that countries in the Asia, Australia and the Pacific region make the largest market for UAE non-oil exports. The share amounts to 35 per cent (Dh16 billion) of the UAE non-oil exports.

Re-exports

The second rank saw Mena with a share of 30 per cent (Dh13.9 billion). Next, came Europe with a share of 26 per cent (Dh12.2 billion), America and the Caribbean with a share of 5 per cent (Dh2.2 billion), East and South Africa with a share of 3 per cent (Dh1.2 billion), and West and Central Africa with a share of 1 per cent (Dh484 million) of UAE total non-oil exports.

When it comes to re-exports, FCA statistics for The first quarter of 2016 show that the Asia, Australia and the Pacific region was the UAE leading re-export trade partner with a share of 42 per cent (Dh22.3 billion) of total re-exports, while Mena scored second with a share of 28 per cent (Dh15 billion).

With a share of 20 per cent (Dh10.8 billion) of exports, Europe ranked third. Next, came America and the Caribbean with a share of 4 per cent (Dh1.9 billion), East and South Africa with a share of 3 per cent (Dh1.7 billion), and West and Central Africa with a share of 2 per cent (Dh1.1 billion) of total re-export during the reporting quarter.

FCA’s preliminary statistics also reveal that raw gold and manufactured gold ranked top among imports in the first quarter of 2016 with a share of 15 per cent (Dh24.5 billion) out of total non-oil imports.

With a share of Dh11.9 billion (7 per cent), cars ranked second. Next, came imports of diamond, not mounted or set, with a share of Dh10.5 billion (6 per cent), telephone handsets with a share of Dh9.1 billion (5 per cent), and jewellery, and precious stones and metals with a share of Dh6.7 billion or 4 per cent of total UAE non-oil imports.

Gold

The UAE non-oil exports the first quarter of 2016 data show that gold ranked first with a share of Dh12.6 billion, accounting for 27 per cent of the UAE non-oil exports. With a share of Dh7.9 billion (17 per cent), raw aluminium ranked second. Next, came jewellery and precious stones with a share of Dh4.8 billion (10.3 per cent), polymers of ethylene in primary forms with a share of Dh4.5 billion (9.6 per cent), and publications with a share of Dh1.3 billion or 3 per cent of UAE total non-oil exports during The first quarter of this year.

Diamond, not mounted or set, ranked top among re-exports in the first quarter of 2016 with a share of Dh11.5 billion (20 per cent of re-exports). With a share of Dh7.8 billion (14 per cent) jewellery, including jewellery made of precious stones, ranked second. Next, came cars with a share of Dh4.1 billion (7.3 per cent), telephone handsets with a share of Dh3.9 billion (7 per cent), aircraft parts with a share of Dh1.4 billion or 3 per cent of total re-exports in The first quarter of 2016.

World trade

The UAE non-oil trade with GCC countries during the first quarter of 2016 accounted for 9 per cent (Dh24.2 billion) of the UAE non-oil world trade.

Saudi Arabia was the UAE top GCC non-oil trade partner with a share of Dh8.7 billion, representing 35.7 per cent of non-oil trade with GCC countries. Next, came Oman with a share of Dh6.4 billion (26.3 per cent), Qatar with a share of Dh4.2 billion (17.5 per cent), Bahrain with a share of Dh2.5 billion (10.2 per cent) and Kuwait with a share of Dh2.4 billion or 10.1 per cent of the UAE-GCC non-oil trade.

At the Arab level, FCA preliminary data show that total UAE non-oil trade with Arab countries during the first quarter of 2016 accounted for 16 per cent of the UAE non-oil world trade with an estimated value of Dh43.7 billion.