Dubai Chamber of Commerce, one of the three chambers operating under the umbrella of Dubai Chambers, has successfully organised 674 bilateral business meetings between companies from Dubai and their counterparts in Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa.
The meetings took place during a trade mission led by the chamber as part of its ‘New Horizons’ initiative, which aims to support the expansion of local companies into promising global markets and strengthen international partnerships.
The trade mission featured representatives from 24 Dubai-based companies operating across diverse sectors including construction and building materials; electronics; engineering; environmental solutions; fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG); food and beverages; healthcare; ICT and innovation; investments; manufacturing; and retail.
As part of the trade mission, Dubai Chamber of Commerce organised the Dubai–South Africa Business Forum in cooperation with the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Pretoria; the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition of the Republic of South Africa; the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI); and the Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI).
The forum attracted 520 attendees including senior officials, business leaders, and representatives of local companies interested in exploring opportunities for partnership and cooperation between the two markets.
Speakers participating in the event 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. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition of the Republic of South Africa delivered a presentation during the forum.
Salem Al Shamsi, Executive Vice President of International Relations at Dubai Chambers, stated: “The rapid growth in trade between Dubai and South Africa reflects the depth of our growing economic partnership and underlines the strong connections between our markets. In line with our commitment to building on this positive momentum, we are continuing to expand joint cooperation and create high-quality opportunities that support business growth and enhance trade and investment flows. This trade mission provides an important platform to open new channels for dialogue, strengthen business connections, and enable companies operating in Dubai to explore the promising opportunities offered by the South African market, which serves as a strategic gateway to markets across the African continent.”
The value of non-oil trade between Dubai and South Africa reached AED 29.2 billion in 2025. This represents an increase of 265% over the last 10 years, with bilateral trade growing from AED 8 billion in 2016. This expanding relationship is also reflected in the chamber’s membership, with 873 companies from South Africa registered as active members by the end of Q1 2026. A total of 45 new South African companies joined the chamber during the first quarter of 2026.
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