U.A.E aluminum and petrochemicals exports to African non -Arab countries in 2012 stood at US$6.5 billion, accounting for only 1.8 percent of their total imports which stood at US$352 billion in the same year, according to a recent study released by a U.A.E. ministry.
Five African countries received 61 percent, or US$3.9 billion, of U.A.E.'s total aluminum and petrochemical exports to the continent, with South Africa at the top of the list with US$1.08 billion, followed by Nigeria with US$1.03 billion, shows the new U.A.E. Ministry of Economy's study on U.A.E. aluminum and petrochemicals exports to African non-Arab countries in 2012.
The study notes that U.A.E. is one of the top ten aluminum exporters to these countries.
U.A.E. aluminum exports to five African non-Arab countries including South Africa, Nigeria, Mozambique and Ghana stood at US$38 million, or just 1.5 percent of their total exports valued at US$2.6 billion in the same year.
The five African countries imported US$1.8 billion of aluminum or 73 percent of the continent's total imports of the material in the same year.
U.A.E's aluminum exports accounted for 1.8 percent of its total imports to Africa.
In 2012, South Africa's aluminum imports stood at US$494 million of which only US$12 were from U.A.E.
In the same year, U.A.E.'s aluminum exports to Mozambique stood at US$5 million, showed the study noting that Netherland alone account for 97 percent of the African country's imports.
The study also shows that U.A.E. petrochemicals exports to African non-Arab countries stood at US$249 million accounting for 2.6 percent of the their total imports of US$9.5 billion.
U.A.E. was the 16th largest petrochemicals exporter to South Africa with US$44 million covering only 2 percent of the African country's demand.
China emerged as South Africa's top exporter with a 17 percent share, or US$391 million, of the African country's total petrochemicals imports.