DIEZ (Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority) reported first-half 2026 results: combined external trade across its three zones — Dubai Airport Freezone, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai CommerCity — rose 17% year on year to a record Dh246 billion. That is a sixth consecutive record H1. The breakdown below shows what is actually driving the growth and what it means for a business considering setup in these zones.
What happened
On 18 October 2026 WAM published DIEZ's H1 2026 results. Combined trade across the three zones reached Dh246 billion, up 17% YoY — a sixth consecutive record first half.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum — Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai — framed the result this way: "competition in global trade is no longer determined by trade volumes alone — it increasingly depends on the ability of economic hubs to ensure the continuity of trade flows." The framing matters: Dubai is positioning DIEZ not as "another free-zone cluster" but as logistics infrastructure that keeps flows moving when supply chains and shipping routes shift.
Key H1 2026 numbers
- Imports — Dh134.8 billion (+14% YoY).
- Re-exports — Dh108.8 billion (+22% YoY), the fastest-growing component.
- Direct exports — Dh2.4 billion.
- Tonnage — about 270,000 tonnes versus about 298,000 tonnes in H1 2025.
- Share of Dubai's non-oil trade — up to ~16% from 15.4% a year earlier.
The core shift: tonnes down, value up. Higher-value goods are moving through the zones — a decisive tilt toward electronics, precious metals and jewellery.
What is being traded, and with whom
Product mix in H1 2026:
- Machinery, equipment and electrical goods — about 66% of trade.
- Precious stones, precious metals, jewellery and ornaments — about 30% of trade (+18% versus H1 2025).
Geographically Asia dominates. DIEZ's top trading partners in H1 2026:
- China — Dh69.8 billion (28.4% of trade).
- Saudi Arabia — Dh26.5 billion (10.8%).
- India — Dh17.6 billion (7.2%).
- Vietnam — Dh13.2 billion (5.4%).
The India + Vietnam share directly reflects the CEPA agreements the UAE has signed with key Asian partners to eliminate tariff barriers.
Inside DIEZ
Three jurisdictions under one authority, each with a distinct specialisation:
- Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZ) — next to Dubai International Airport. Focus: aviation logistics, pharma, electronics, aircraft parts.
- Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) — IT, R&D, electronics, education.
- Dubai CommerCity — a dedicated e-commerce zone for brands, operators and fulfilment.
Choosing between these and other UAE free zones depends on business profile — see our comparison of DMCC, IFZA, Meydan, DIFC and ADGM by activity type.
What it means for business in the UAE
Three practical takeaways.
The infrastructure works. Six consecutive record H1s are not marketing — they are a stable base for companies registered in DAFZ, DSO or CommerCity. Clients routing physical trade through these zones get a logistics ecosystem that does not break under external shocks. For any business with Asia in its supply chain, that is a tangible benefit, not a brochure line.
Asia is where the money sits. China, Saudi Arabia, India and Vietnam together account for about 52% of DIEZ's trade. India and Vietnam come with active CEPA agreements that reduce or remove tariffs across a wide range of goods. For import/re-export operations with these markets, "free zone + CEPA + Dubai logistics" is a concrete margin advantage.
The profile is electronics and precious metals. About 96% of DIEZ trade sits in machinery/electronics and precious metals/jewellery. If your operation is in that segment, the zones are already optimised: customs regimes, warehouse logistics, air and sea hub access are tuned for these flows. DSO fits IT and R&D, DAFZ fits aviation and pharma logistics, CommerCity fits e-commerce.
