Dubai: Dubai Chamber of Commerce, under the auspices of Dubai Chambers, has successfully organized 674 bilateral business meetings between companies from Dubai and their counterparts in Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa. This initiative was part of a trade mission aimed at fostering closer business ties and expanding market opportunities.
According to Emirates News Agency, the trade mission was a component of the "New Horizons" initiative, which seeks to facilitate the expansion of local companies into promising global markets and bolster international partnerships. It featured representatives from 24 Dubai-based companies spanning sectors such as construction, electronics, engineering, environmental solutions, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), food and beverages, healthcare, ICT and innovation, investments, manufacturing, and retail.
As a highlight of the trade mission, the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the UAE Embassy in Pretoria and several South African trade organizations, organized the Dubai-South Africa Business Forum. This event attracted 520 attendees, including senior officials, business leaders, and representatives of local companies. Notable speakers included Salem Al Shamsi, Executive Vice President of International Relations at Dubai Chambers, and Advocate Mtho Xulu, President of the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Al Shamsi highlighted the significant growth in trade between Dubai and South Africa, emphasizing the depth of the economic partnership and the strong connections between the two markets. He noted that the trade mission serves as an essential platform to open new channels for dialogue, strengthen business connections, and enable Dubai-based companies to explore the promising opportunities in the South African market.
The economic relationship between Dubai and South Africa is evidenced by the value of non-oil trade, which reached AED29.2 billion in 2025, marking a 265 percent increase over the last 10 years. This growth trajectory is further supported by the chamber's membership, with 873 South African companies registered as active members by the end of Q1 2026, including 45 new members joining in the first quarter of 2026.