Mthو Zulu, president of the South Africa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has affirmed that economic relations between the United Arab Emirates and South Africa are experiencing strong momentum and sustainable growth, driven by a shared desire on the part of both governments and business communities to strengthen cooperation and translate their strategic partnership into tangible projects, investments, and economic opportunities on the ground.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Dubai–South Africa Business Forum, organised by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and held in the city of Johannesburg, he said that the UAE — and Dubai in particular — has become a global economic hub and a key gateway linking African markets to the Middle East, Asia, and the wider world, making it an important strategic partner for South African companies seeking international expansion.
He added: "We regard Dubai as one of the most important trade and investment gateways in the world. It does not only serve the Arabian Gulf region; it also gives African companies access to vast global markets. In return, South Africa offers Emirati investors an important platform to access the growing investment opportunities across the African continent." He revealed his country's aspiration to host the Dubai Business Forum — organised by Dubai Chambers to showcase the investment opportunities made available through Dubai's economic agenda D33 — describing such a step as historic and reflective of the depth of the growing ties between the two sides.
He added: "We hope that in the coming years South Africa will host the Dubai Business Forum for the first time on the African continent, which will send a clear message about the strategic standing of UAE–South Africa relations and the scale of the promising opportunities that can arise from this cooperation."
On the development of trade relations, he said that non-oil trade between Dubai and South Africa reached approximately 8 billion dollars during 2025, adding: "Last year we witnessed an important milestone in the trajectory of economic relations between the two countries when South Africa's Minister of Trade and Industry led a high-level economic delegation to the UAE, during which we held productive meetings in Dubai and Abu Dhabi aimed at broadening the horizons of economic and investment cooperation and opening new channels of communication between the private sectors of both countries."
He added that one of the most important outcomes agreed upon during that visit was strengthening the role of chambers of commerce and economic institutions in leading direct cooperation between companies and business people, noting that hosting the Dubai–South Africa Business Forum represents a practical translation of that objective.
He explained that relations between countries acquire their true importance when they are reflected on the ground through business partnerships, investments, and trade exchange, and that cooperation between Dubai Chambers and the South Africa Chamber of Commerce and Industry therefore represents a practical model for converting governmental understandings into real economic opportunities that generate added value for both sides.
Regarding promising sectors for cooperation between the two countries, the president of the South Africa Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that the services economy is one of the most important areas the two countries can build upon, particularly in the sectors of tourism, professional services, finance, and technology.
He said that the UAE has achieved exceptional global success in the tourism and services sector, while South Africa also possesses considerable assets in this field, adding: "We therefore see broad opportunities for exchanging expertise, developing joint projects, and boosting tourism and investment flows between the two countries." He added that the manufacturing sector is one of South Africa's main priorities in the coming period, given government efforts aimed at strengthening the industrial base and increasing the value added to the national economy.
He said: "We are seeking to expand our manufacturing capacities across numerous industrial sectors, and we see major partnership opportunities with Emirati companies in the areas of advanced manufacturing, processing industries, consumer products, and value-added industries." He pointed to significant investment opportunities in infrastructure and mining, affirming that South Africa possesses vast natural resources and advanced expertise in the mining sector, alongside promising infrastructure development projects that require international partnerships, financing, and investment.
He affirmed that relations between the UAE and South Africa extend beyond bilateral cooperation to coordination in numerous international economic forums, which reinforces the solidity of the partnership between the two countries and opens new horizons for future cooperation. He added: "We are extremely optimistic about the future of relations with the UAE. What we witnessed during the Dubai–South Africa Business Forum was not merely an economic dialogue, but the building of a long-term strategic partnership founded on trust, shared interests, and a desire to achieve growth and prosperity. We look forward to seeing more investments and partnerships between our companies, in a manner that benefits the economies and peoples of both countries."