With 23.3 percent growth, UAE has emerged as a strong

re-exporter in the year 2003, valued of Dh50.7 billion.

Even though imports have been rising steadliy over the

years, a major cause of rise in gross imports is not

import demand but demand for re-exports, according to

Emirates Industrial Bank''s research and survey.

Re-exports increased since 1999 in growth terms at

present. While the year 1999 UAE imports stood at Dh96.1

billion and re-exports were at 23.0 billion, but last year

it reached Dh147.8 billion while its re-exports reached

Dh51billion, which is a robust growth.