Online Reporter
Nyore Madzianike
Senior Reporter
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa’s engagement and re-engagement policy has been instrumental in fostering strong global economic partnerships with Zimbabwe and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) set to increase bilateral trade volumes to US$6 billion by the end of the year.
The two countries posted nearly US$5 billion in 2025 with positive growth witnessed across key sectors such as trade, mining and agriculture.
Posting on his X handle after the outgoing UAE Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Jassim Mohammed Al Qasimi, paid a farewell courtesy call on him at State House in Harare, President Mnangagwa said the country’s foreign policy is bearing fruit.
“During his tenure, the bilateral and economic relations between Zimbabwe and the UAE experienced significant growth across key sectors such as trade, mining and agriculture.
“Our engagement and re-engagement policy has been instrumental in fostering strong global partnerships.
“I commended Dr Al Qasimi for his dedicated service, which has contributed substantially to the mutual growth of our nations and I wish him success in his future endeavours,” he said.
Ambassador Al Qasimi served for nearly seven years in Harare.
He said he witnessed continued growth in Zimbabwe’s economy during his tenure in the country.
“I find increasing cooperation from the Government in different sectors and I hope for the best for Zimbabwe. About our relationship, it is growing, especially in the economy and we do a lot of projects in Zimbabwe,” he said.
Ambassador Al Qasimi said trade volumes between Zimbabwe and the UAE surpassed US$5 billion in 2025, with expectations of reaching US$6 billion this year.
The United Arab Emirates continues to be the leading destination for Zimbabwe’s exports, receiving 50 percent of the country’s shipments by value in the first quarter of 2026.
According to the latest statistics released by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat), the country earned US$2 775 026 816 from all worldwide exports.
The UAE accounted for exactly half of this revenue, bringing in US$1.401 billion during the first quarter of this year.
Exports to the UAE have risen sharply, climbing from US$2 billion in 2023 to US$5 billion in 2025.
The UAE has now overtaken South Africa, which previously led Zimbabwe’s export market in 2024 and maintained a strong position into 2025.
Minerals, tobacco, and horticultural products remain the three leading export product groups shipped to the UAE.
Zimbabwe’s imports from the UAE declined by 16 percent, dropping to US$226 million in 2025 from US$304 million in 2024.
Consequently, the trade surplus with the UAE grew by a massive 85 percent, reaching US$4.5 billion last year, up from US$2.4 billion in 2024.
Statistics from the International Trade Centre’s (ITC) online TradeMap database provide a deeper look into these sectors for 2025: Gold: Unwrought, semi-manufactured, or platinum-plated gold accounted for US$4.5 billion.
Unmounted and unset diamonds brought in US$99 million.
Unprocessed tobacco and tobacco refuse accounted for US$134 million. Manufactured tobacco and substitutes brought in US$1.3 million.
The UAE imported US$357 000 worth of fresh Zimbabwean strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and gooseberries.
