Abu Dhabi's Non-oil Foreign Trade During H1 Grows 12%

The total value of Abu Dhabi's non-oil foreign trade amounted to about AED124 billion ($33.7 billion) during 1st half of 2022. WAM
The total value of Abu Dhabi's non-oil foreign trade amounted to about AED124 billion ($33.7 billion) during 1st half of 2022. WAM
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Abu Dhabi's Non-oil Foreign Trade During H1 Grows 12%

The total value of Abu Dhabi's non-oil foreign trade amounted to about AED124 billion ($33.7 billion) during 1st half of 2022. WAM
The total value of Abu Dhabi's non-oil foreign trade amounted to about AED124 billion ($33.7 billion) during 1st half of 2022. WAM

The total value of Abu Dhabi's non-oil foreign trade amounted to about AED124 billion ($33.7 billion) during 1st half of 2022, compared to AED110 billion and 313 million, with a growth rate of 12%, recorded in the same period of 2020, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported Friday.

Exports during the first six months of this year increased to 26%, at a value of AED49 billion and 479 million, compared to AED39 billion and 193 million during the same period in 2021, it said.

Re-export activities increased to 6% at a value of AED23 billion and 43 million, compared to AED21 billion and 689 million recorded during the last year, while the Exports in the UAE increased to 4%, recording a total value of about AED51 billion and 475 million, compared to AED49 billion and 432 million last year.

The value of the trade-in commodities from normal metals and their products increased to AED24 billion and 516 million, with a growth rate of 22%, compared to AED20 billion and 112 million in 2021, WAM said.

The trade-in sound and image machinery and broadcasting equipment and their accessories recorded growth during this period with 23%, compared to AED17 billion and 903 million recorded last year. The trade-in pearls, gemstones, precious metals and their products have increased to 40% at a value of AED17 billion and 245 million recorded last year.

According to WAM, Saudi Arabia had the largest total value of shares traded compared to the countries, where the trade increased to AED28 billion and 636 million, with a growth rate of 3% compared to AED27 billion and 906 million recorded during the same period in 2021. It was followed by Switzerland with a total value of AED9 billion and 530 million, with a rate of A growth of 260% compared to last year.

The United States followed Switzerland with AED9 billion and 330 million, a growth rate of 21%, then China with AED5 billion and 959 million with a growth rate of 9%, and Kuwait with AED5 billion and 870 million with a growth rate of 13% compared to last year.

Director-General, General Administration of Customs, Abu Dhabi Customs, Rashed Lahej Al Mansoori said: "Abu Dhabi Customs continues to walk steadily towards achieving its vision to be a World-Class Customs Authority, leading change effort to enhance security, facilitate trade and provide distinguished services, constantly prompting to invest in advanced technologies that rely on digital technologies and artificial intelligence, which effectively contributes to saving time and effort for customers, and supports their choice of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to be a destination for their operations."

He added that Abu Dhabi Customs has succeeded to develop proactive strategic services that contributed effectively to develop the customs work system through the land, sea and air ports and facilitate customs inspections.
As for Ahmed Mahmoud Fikri, Director-General of Statistics Centre-Abu Dhabi, he said that the Centre looks forward to developing an advanced statistical system that consolidates continuous cooperation with its partners from producers and users of statistical data to provide continuous support to policymakers in the Emirate.



Iran's Central Bank Chief Resigns

A man walks past a sign at a currency exchange bureau as the value of the Iranian rial drops, in Tehran, Iran, December 20, 2025. (Via Reuters)
A man walks past a sign at a currency exchange bureau as the value of the Iranian rial drops, in Tehran, Iran, December 20, 2025. (Via Reuters)
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Iran's Central Bank Chief Resigns

A man walks past a sign at a currency exchange bureau as the value of the Iranian rial drops, in Tehran, Iran, December 20, 2025. (Via Reuters)
A man walks past a sign at a currency exchange bureau as the value of the Iranian rial drops, in Tehran, Iran, December 20, 2025. (Via Reuters)

Iran's central bank chief, Mohammad Reza Farzin, has resigned, the semi-official ​Nournews agency reported on Monday, citing an official at the president's office, as the country battles a slump in its rial currency and high inflation.

The rial, which has been falling as the Iranian economy has suffered from the impact of Western sanctions, fell to a ‌new record low on ‌Monday at around 1,390,000 ‌to ⁠the ​dollar, according ‌to websites displaying open market rates.

Iranian media outlets reported there had been demonstrations in the capital Tehran, mainly by shop owners, against the economic situation.

Farzin has headed the central bank since December 2022. His resignation will be reviewed by President Masoud ⁠Pezeshkian, the official added, according to Nournews.

Iranian state media reported ‌later on Monday, citing the communications ‍and information deputy ‍at the Iranian president's office, that former Economy ‍Minister Abdolnaser Hemmati will be appointed as the new central bank chief.

Iranian media have said the government's recent economic liberalization policies have put pressure on the ​open-rate currency market.

The open-rate market is where ordinary Iranians buy foreign currency, whereas businesses typically ⁠use state-regulated rates.

The reimposition of US sanctions in 2018 during President Donald Trump's first term has harmed Iran's economy by limiting its oil exports and access to foreign currency.

The Iranian economy is at risk of recession, with the World Bank forecasting GDP will shrink by 1.7% in 2025 and 2.8% in 2026. The risk is compounded by rising inflation, which hit a 40-month high of ‌48.6% in October, according to Iran's Statistical Center.


Lebanon Signs Deal to Purchase Natural Gas from Egypt

A diesel storage tank is seen at the Middle East Oil Refinery Company (MIDOR) in Alexandria, Egypt, November 7, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
A diesel storage tank is seen at the Middle East Oil Refinery Company (MIDOR) in Alexandria, Egypt, November 7, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
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Lebanon Signs Deal to Purchase Natural Gas from Egypt

A diesel storage tank is seen at the Middle East Oil Refinery Company (MIDOR) in Alexandria, Egypt, November 7, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
A diesel storage tank is seen at the Middle East Oil Refinery Company (MIDOR) in Alexandria, Egypt, November 7, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

Lebanon said Monday it plans to purchase natural gas from Egypt, seeking to reduce its reliance on fuel oil for its ageing power plants in a country hamstrung by regular electricity cuts.

The electricity sector has cost Lebanon more than $40 billion since the end of its 1975-1990 civil war, and successive governments have failed to reduce losses, repair crumbling infrastructure or even guarantee regular power bill collections.

Residents rely on expensive private generators and solar panels to supplement the unreliable state supply.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's office said in a statement that the memorandum of understanding between Lebanon and Egypt sought "to meet Lebanon's needs for natural gas allocated for electricity generation".

It was signed by Lebanese Energy Minister Joe Saddi and Egyptian Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi, according to AFP.

"Lebanon's strategy is first to transition to the use of natural gas, and second, to diversify gas sources," Saddi said, adding that "the process will take time because pipelines need rehabilitation".

Lebanon will "contact donor agencies to see how they can help finance the rehabilitation" of the Lebanese section of the gas pipelines, he said, adding that repair work would take several months.

President Joseph Aoun said the memorandum of understanding was "a practical and essential step that will enable Lebanon to increase its electricity production".

A statement from Cairo's petroleum and mineral resources ministry said that "Egypt is fulfilling its role in supplying Lebanon with natural gas, with the aim of supporting energy security for Arab countries".

In 2022, Lebanon signed a deal to import natural gas from Egypt and Jordan via Syria to boost power supply, but the contracts were never implemented due to financing issues and US sanctions on Syria.

Washington recently lifted it Syria measures following the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad last year.

In April, Lebanon signed a $250 million agreement with the World Bank to modernise its electricity sector.


Chile to Restore Global Leadership in Lithium Production

Aerial view of brine ponds and processing areas of the lithium mine of the Chilean company SQM (Sociedad Quimica Minera) in the Atacama Desert, Calama, Chile, on September 12, 2022. (AFP)
Aerial view of brine ponds and processing areas of the lithium mine of the Chilean company SQM (Sociedad Quimica Minera) in the Atacama Desert, Calama, Chile, on September 12, 2022. (AFP)
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Chile to Restore Global Leadership in Lithium Production

Aerial view of brine ponds and processing areas of the lithium mine of the Chilean company SQM (Sociedad Quimica Minera) in the Atacama Desert, Calama, Chile, on September 12, 2022. (AFP)
Aerial view of brine ponds and processing areas of the lithium mine of the Chilean company SQM (Sociedad Quimica Minera) in the Atacama Desert, Calama, Chile, on September 12, 2022. (AFP)

Chile's state-owned copper producer, Codelco, together with Chinese-backed private miner, SQM, announced on Saturday the creation of a giant company to exploit lithium, often referred to as "white gold."

The South American country is the world’s second-largest producer of lithium, a key component of EVs and other clean technologies and has about 40% of the world’s lithium reserves.

The partnership between the firms will allow them to jointly ramp up the exploration of lithium in the Atacama region of northern Chile.

The public-private partnership will be named Nova Andino Litio SpA, said Codelco, which described the agreement as one of the most significant deals in Chilean business history.

The Chinese firm Tianqi holds 22% stake in SQM.

In a statement, Codelco said the new partnership will carry out lithium exploration, extraction, production, and commercialization activities in the Atacama salt flat until 2060.

The agreement was approved by more than 20 national and international regulatory authorities, including those in China, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and the European Union.

Chile was the last of the countries to clear the deal. Last month, China gave the green light to the planned partnership between Codelco and SQM.

The new venture is intended to help Chile regain global leadership in lithium production, a position it lost to Australia nearly a decade ago.

The partnership aims to expand lithium output in the Atacama region, with plans to increase production by around 300,000 tons per year. In 2022, Chile produced 243,100 tons of lithium.

The partnership also aligns with Chile’s National Lithium Strategy, announced in 2023 by the leftist government of President Gabriel Boric, aimed at reclaiming Chile’s global leadership in lithium production.