South African capital flows into Dubai surpassed the AED 1 billion ($294 million) mark over the preceding five years, signaling strengthening bilateral economic alignment between the two regions, according to a senior official from Dubai Chambers.
Speaking at the Dubai–South Africa Business Forum in Johannesburg, Salem Al Shamsi, Executive Vice President of International Relations at Dubai Chambers, noted that these capital injections were primarily concentrated in high-potential sectors such as pharmaceuticals, food and beverage industries, and information and communications technology (ICT). He highlighted that Dubai Chambers is actively dedicated to guiding domestic enterprises through international expansions, with a particular strategic emphasis on the African continent due to its vast trade and investment potential.
The Johannesburg summit was executed as part of the 13th outbound trade mission to African countries launched since 2023 under the chamber’s “New Horizons” program, which is designed to help local entities map out new commercial corridors and establish sustainable international ventures. To advance these goals, a corporate delegation consisting of 24 Dubai-based enterprises across various commercial sectors attended the forum to analyze local market dynamics and foster joint ventures with South African businesses.
Al Shamsi emphasized that the Dubai Chambers’ permanent representative office on the ground in South Africa remains a vital asset for smoothing market entry barriers and connecting foreign firms with local corporate networks. Looking ahead, he voiced strong optimism for a continuous upward trajectory in reciprocal investment flows, driven by coordinated strategies aimed at securing premium cross-border deals and anchoring deeper macroeconomic integration.
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