ع
The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry organised a high-level trade mission to Addis Ababa that brought together 10 companies from the emirate with more than 140 Ethiopian business representatives at a dedicated forum on October 20, according to the chamber. Abdallah Sultan Al Owais, chairman of the SCCI, headed the delegation that also included officials from Ethiopian government ministries focused on trade, industry and agriculture. The mission, conducted through the Sharjah Export Development Centre, targeted opportunities in manufacturing, food processing, agriculture, packaging, construction materials and logistics. SCCI’s trade mission to Ethiopia strengthens Sharjah companies’ presence in African markets by fostering direct partnerships and exploring investment prospects, the chamber stated.
Ethiopia’s Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration data places bilateral trade between the UAE and Ethiopia at $5.6 billion from 2021 to 2025, with Ethiopian exports accounting for $1.2 billion and imports from the UAE reaching $4.4 billion. Coffee led Ethiopian shipments to the UAE followed by sesame seeds, meat products, cut flowers and fresh produce, the ministry assessment found. A separate review by the Observatory of Economic Complexity showed UAE exports to Ethiopia totalled $682 million in 2023 while Ethiopian exports to the UAE stood at $332 million that year, reflecting steady growth in the latter flow over the preceding five years.
The forum featured addresses from Ethiopian state ministers who outlined priorities for collaboration in agribusiness and industrial development, according to participants. An MoU signed between the SCCI and the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations establishes a framework for institutional cooperation, business-to-business networking and joint ventures, the two chambers announced in a joint statement. Witnesses to the signing included the UAE ambassador to Ethiopia, who encouraged progression from trade to local manufacturing investments.
SCCI board members and the chairperson of the Emirates Businesswomen Council participated in the programme that incorporated site visits to industrial facilities and targeted meetings with Ethiopian economic institutions, the chamber reported. These engagements built on preparatory discussions held in Sharjah earlier in 2026 with Ethiopian consular officials to align on reciprocal trade missions and sector-specific opportunities. The cumulative non-oil trade between the UAE and Ethiopia exceeded AED 34 billion from 2013 to 2022, providing a foundation for the current expansion drive, according to earlier SCCI briefings.
The memorandum commits both chambers to streamlining trade procedures and promoting investment in high-growth areas that align with Ethiopia’s development goals and Sharjah’s export diversification strategy, the SCCI said. Follow-up mechanisms will track implementation through regular exchanges and additional business delegations in both directions. Such initiatives form part of the SCCI’s broader outreach across African markets to unlock new channels for Sharjah-based enterprises.
