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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) became Türkiye’s top destination for export growth in value terms during the first half of 2025, with exports rising by 64.5% to nearly $3.3 billion, according to data from the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM).
Türkiye’s overall exports between January and June rose 4.1% year-over-year, reaching $131.4 billion, while June exports alone climbed 8% to $20.5 billion.
The automotive sector led the way with $20 billion in exports, followed by chemicals at $15.8 billion and electronics at $8.3 billion.
Türkiye’s exports to the UAE increased from $2 billion in first half of 2024 to $3.3 billion in the same period of 2025—an absolute increase of $1.28 billion.
Other countries with significant increases included:
Despite the sharp growth, Germany remained Türkiye’s top export partner with $9.7 billion, followed by
Jewelry was the leading export item to the UAE in the first half, totaling $1.81 billion. It was followed by:
Exporters in Istanbul accounted for $1.63 billion of sales to the UAE. Corum followed with $1.06 billion, then Izmir with $72.2 million, and Ankara with $69.7 million.
Mehmet Ali Akarca, chair of the Türkiye-UAE Business Council at DEIK, said the rise was supported by the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that took effect in 2023.
“Lower customs duties and the removal of technical barriers have made trade easier,” Akarca noted, adding that the UAE’s strategic location and logistics capacity also benefited Turkish exporters.
He highlighted a strong interest in sectors like AI, cybersecurity, fintech, and software, as well as rising demand in food security, health care, defense and construction.
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