Dubai Chamber Achieves Milestone with 510 Business Meetings in Ethiopia

The Dubai Chamber of Commerce has concluded the Ethiopian segment of its trade mission to Ghana and Ethiopia, successfully organizing a record 510 bilateral business meetings in Addis Ababa between enterprises based in Dubai and those in Ethiopia.

These meetings opened avenues for collaboration across numerous vital sectors, such as automotive, construction, electronics, engineering, FMCG, food and beverages, interior design, mining and metals, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, printing and packaging, textiles, and ready-made garments.

According to the chamber, these 510 B2B interactions represent the largest number since the inception of its “New Horizons” initiative in 2023, which is aimed at fostering the international growth of Dubai-based enterprises and fortifying global trade ties.

To facilitate this mission, the Dubai Chamber organized the ‘Dubai–Ethiopia Business Connect’ forum in collaboration with the UAE Embassy in Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations, the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations, and the Ethiopian Investment Commission.

The forum drew in 669 participants, consisting of key government officials, business leaders, investors, and reps from both local and international firms. It aimed at exploring investment prospects, bolstering trade cooperation, and establishing new business alliances between Dubai and Ethiopia.

Attendance included high-ranking officials such as H.E. Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers; H.E. Amha Hailegiorgis, Deputy Director General for Middle East, Asia, and Pacific Affairs of Ethiopia; H.E. Dr. Jemal Beker, Ambassador of Ethiopia to the UAE; Dr. Aynalem Abayneh, Vice President of the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations; Eng. Abebe Gurmesa, Vice President of the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations; along with Rashed Abdulla Alzoy from the UAE Embassy in Ethiopia.

H.E. Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah emphasized the chamber's commitment to deepening economic relations between Dubai and Ethiopia, creating fresh prospects for private sector companies in both markets. He noted that this trade mission not only supports the international expansion of Dubai’s firms but also significantly contributes to the growth of the emirate's non-oil foreign trade.

As per chamber reports, non-oil trade between Dubai and Ethiopia surged to AED 22.3 billion in 2025, reflecting a remarkable year-on-year growth of 236.6%.

Furthermore, the chamber disclosed that 91 new Ethiopian businesses registered in the first quarter of 2026, raising the count of active Ethiopian member enterprises registered with the chamber to 1,676 by the close of March 2026.

During the forum, the Dubai Chamber showcased the advantages of Dubai's business landscape and illustrated how Ethiopian enterprises could leverage Dubai as a springboard into regional and international markets. Officials from the Ethiopian Investment Commission also detailed Ethiopia’s expanding investment potential and market accessibility for foreign investors.

The trade mission comprised representatives from 21 Dubai-based companies across various industries, indicative of the strengthening economic collaboration between Dubai and Ethiopia.