DMCC Reports 14% Growth in Turkish Companies as Uae-türkiye Trade Passes Cepa Target

DMCC, the leading international business district that drives the flow of global trade through Dubai, has reported a 14% rise in Turkish companies joining its international business district over the past 12 months, bringing total membership from Türkiye to more than 700 firms. The announcement was made during the latest edition of DMCC’s Made For Trade Live roadshow in Istanbul, held as part of DMCC’s global campaign to attract new investment to Dubai.

The rise in Turkish members reflects accelerating UAE-Türkiye trade and investment, driven by the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that came into force in 2023. According to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade, non-oil trade between the UAE and Türkiye reached USD 44 billion between September 2024 and August 2025, a 12% increase year-on-year that has surpassed the five-year CEPA target of USD 40 billion.

This rapid expansion has positioned Türkiye as the fastest-growing partner among the UAE’s top 10 global trading partners, supported by the CEPA’s reduced tariffs, enhanced market access, and increased cooperation across services, logistics, energy, digital trade, and advanced manufacturing.

Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, DMCC, said: “In just 12 months, non-oil trade between the UAE and Türkiye exceeded USD 44 billion, surpassing the five-year CEPA target ahead of schedule and making Türkiye the UAE’s fastest-growing trading partner. Within DMCC, we have recorded more than 14% growth in Turkish companies joining our district over the past year, drawn to our ecosystems that mirror Türkiye’s strengths in energy, shipping, precious metals, coffee, tea, and honey. As our relationship deepens, DMCC will keep sharpening its offer and  expand our platforms so Turkish companies can trade, process and gain access to finance with greater speed and lower risk – ensuring Dubai remains the preferred gateway for Turkish businesses expanding globally.”

The Made For Trade Live Istanbul event brought together over 370 Turkish business leaders from key sectors including energy, construction, logistics, agri-food, and technology to explore opportunities to expand through Dubai and DMCC. The event showcased DMCC’s world-class infrastructure, streamlined business setup services, and its network of dedicated ecosystems that enable companies to trade, collaborate, and scale globally.

The UAE-Türkiye economic corridor is being reinforced by deep structural ties in logistics, precious metals, and agri-food commodities. DP World’s USD 650 million investment in Yarımca in 2016 and its subsequent merger with Evyap Group have created one of the Marmara region’s most advanced terminals, with over two million TEU of capacity and direct rail links to the Middle Corridor. This logistics backbone underpins a flourishing two-way trade in gold, jewellery, and diamonds between Dubai and Borsa İstanbul, while complementary flows in coffee, tea, and honey highlight the growing breadth of exchange. With over 700 Turkish companies now operating from DMCC – around one fifth of all Turkish businesses registered in Dubai – the relationship continues to deepen under the CEPA and a series of high-level accords that are reshaping regional trade dynamics.

The Istanbul roadshow forms part of DMCC’s Made For Trade Live (MFTL) programme, a global initiative that promotes Dubai as a leading hub for international business and investment. Through the series, DMCC highlights Dubai’s strategic advantages, helping attract record levels of foreign direct investment (FDI). DMCC today accounts for 15% of Dubai’s total annual FDI inflows and contributes 7% of the emirate’s GDP, with a business community of over 26,000 companies across commodities, technology, energy, agri-food, and advanced services sectors.