# Solomon Islands Export Playbook for Middle East

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> Yugalinks regional export playbook

Compare buyer markets, access conditions, and calculated product opportunities in Middle East. Use this guide to prioritize research, not to treat calculated indicators as guaranteed sales.

## Navigation

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- [Data sources](https://www.yugalinks.com/data-sources)
- [Methodology](https://www.yugalinks.com/methodology)

## Overview

- Exporter: Solomon Islands (SLB)
- Region: Middle East
- Latest trade year: 2024
- Buyer markets: 5
- Calculated three-year opportunity: $20.1B
- Reported FTA markets: 0
- Average reported distance: 12,822 km
- Average business entry indicator: 16 days

## Market comparison

| Market | ISO3 | Opportunity | Products | FTA | Distance | Entry days | Top product |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | --- | ---: | ---: | --- |
| Turkey | TUR | $17.8B | 2 | Not reported | 14,090 km | 7 | Metals: gold, non-monetary, unwrought (but not powder) |
| Qatar | QAT | $1.4B | 1 | Not reported | 12,311 km | 9 | Metals: gold, non-monetary, unwrought (but not powder) |
| United Arab Emirates | ARE | $430.6M | 4 | Not reported | 12,017 km | 4 | T-shirts, singlets and other vests: of cotton, knitted or crocheted |
| Former Arab Republic of Yemen | YEM | $355.4M | 2 | Not reported | 13,039 km | 41 | Cigarettes: containing tobacco |
| Kuwait | KWT | $184.5M | 1 | Not reported | 12,655 km | 19 | Commodities not specified according to kind |

## Product and market opportunities

| Rank | Market | Product | Opportunity | Buyer growth | Current share |
| ---: | --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| 1 | Turkey (TUR) | HS 710812 - Metals: gold, non-monetary, unwrought (but not powder) | $17.8B | +32.1% | +0.0% |
| 2 | Qatar (QAT) | HS 710812 - Metals: gold, non-monetary, unwrought (but not powder) | $1.4B | +50.1% | +0.0% |
| 3 | Former Arab Republic of Yemen (YEM) | HS 240220 - Cigarettes: containing tobacco | $329.9M | +25.3% | +0.0% |
| 4 | United Arab Emirates (ARE) | HS 610910 - T-shirts, singlets and other vests: of cotton, knitted or crocheted | $188.6M | +5.2% | +0.0% |
| 5 | Kuwait (KWT) | HS 999999 - Commodities not specified according to kind | $184.5M | +54.8% | +0.0% |
| 6 | United Arab Emirates (ARE) | HS 160414 - Fish preparations: tunas, skipjack and Atlantic bonito (sarda spp.), prepared or preserved, whole or in pieces (but not minced) | $178.3M | +12.6% | +0.0% |
| 7 | United Arab Emirates (ARE) | HS 970500 - Collections and collectors' pieces: of zoological, botanical, mineralogical, anatomical, historical, archaeological, palaeontological, ethnographic or numismatic interest | $32.0M | +24.5% | +0.0% |
| 8 | United Arab Emirates (ARE) | HS 440725 - Wood, tropical: dark red meranti, light red meranti and meranti bakau, sawn or chipped lengthwise, sliced or peeled, whether or not planed, sanded or finger-jointed, thicker than 6mm | $31.7M | +5.3% | +0.1% |
| 9 | Former Arab Republic of Yemen (YEM) | HS 190531 - Food preparations: sweet biscuits, whether or not containing cocoa | $25.5M | +15.3% | +0.1% |
| 10 | Turkey (TUR) | HS 854890 - Electrical parts of machinery or apparatus: n.e.s. or included in chapter 85 | $25.1M | +4.0% | +0.0% |

## Sector opportunities

| Sector | Products | Reported buyer imports | Opportunity | Average growth |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| HS2 71 - HS2 sector 71 | 2 | $20.9B | $19.1B | +41.1% |
| HS2 24 - HS2 sector 24 | 1 | $169.7M | $329.9M | +25.3% |
| HS2 61 - HS2 sector 61 | 1 | $420.7M | $188.6M | +5.2% |
| HS2 99 - HS2 sector 99 | 1 | $109.5M | $184.5M | +54.8% |
| HS2 16 - HS2 sector 16 | 1 | $145.8M | $178.3M | +12.6% |
| HS2 97 - HS2 sector 97 | 1 | $49.1M | $32.0M | +24.5% |
| HS2 44 - HS2 sector 44 | 1 | $27.9M | $31.7M | +5.3% |
| HS2 19 - HS2 sector 19 | 1 | $57.3M | $25.5M | +15.3% |

## Frequently asked questions

### Should Solomon Islands focus on Middle East?

Use the market ranking as a starting point, then check product fit, buyer requirements, route costs, tariffs, standards, and competitive conditions.

### What does calculated opportunity mean?

It is a screening indicator built from demand and exporter-position signals. It is not a confirmed order, sales forecast, or guarantee of market entry.

### How should exporters use this page?

Prioritize one market and product combination, then validate buyers, compliance, logistics, pricing, and continuity before making a commercial decision.

## Method

Reported trade observations and calculated indicators are shown separately. Validate buyers, tariffs, standards, logistics, pricing, and competition before acting.

Yugalinks presents derived views for research and planning. [Read the full methodology](https://www.yugalinks.com/methodology).

## Data sources

- Primary trade series: OECD (2025), Balanced international merchandise trade statistics (BIMTS) - HS2017-6D, OECD Data Explorer (accessed on 2026-08-30). [OECD Data Explorer](https://data-explorer.oecd.org/) - [OECD Terms & Conditions](https://www.oecd.org/termsandconditions/)
- CEPII BACI bilateral trade flows (202601): [dataset page](https://www.cepii.fr/CEPII/en/bdd_modele/bdd_modele_item.asp?id=37) - [BACI documentation](https://www.cepii.fr/DATA_DOWNLOAD/baci/doc/baci_webpage.html) - [Etalab 2.0 Open Licence](https://www.etalab.gouv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/open-licence.pdf)

This page presents derived Yugalinks views of reported observations and calculated indicators.