UAE becomes Zimbabwe’s top export market in June 2025

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) emerged as Zimbabwe’s leading export destination in June 2025, accounting for more than half of the country’s total export value, according to figures released by the Zimbabwe Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT). This is reported by New Ziana.

Of that total, the UAE snapped up a dominant 54.8 per cent, followed by South Africa with 23.5 per cent and China with 8.3 per cent. Together, the three countries made up approximately 87 per cent of Zimbabwe’s total exports for the month.

Among the top export commodities were semi-processed gold (53.6 per cent) and nickel mattes (12.7 per cent).

Zimbabwe’s exports also reached markets in regional blocs such as Southern African Development Community (SADC), The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Within SADC, nickel mattes dominated exports at 42 per cent, followed by coal products (8.8 per cent), semi-processed gold (7.9 per cent), and chromium ores (5.8 per cent).

Exports to COMESA were led by iron and steel products (18.6 per cent) and coal-based coke and semi-coke (10.5 per cent).

AfCFTA countries mainly imported Zimbabwean nickel mattes (41.6 per cent), coke and semi-coke (8.8 per cent), and unwrought gold (7.8 per cent).