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Dubai Chamber of Commerce, one of the three chambers operating under the umbrella of Dubai Chambers, has successfully concluded the Ethiopia leg of its trade mission to Ghana and Ethiopia, organising 510 bilateral business meetings in Addis Ababa between companies from Dubai and their Ethiopian counterparts. The meetings created a platform to explore opportunities for cooperation and develop new partnerships across a range of priority sectors.
Dubai Chamber of Commerce achieved a new high in Addis Ababa, organising 510 B2B meetings – the highest since the launch of its “New Horizons” initiative in 2023 to support the global expansion of Dubai companies. This record underscores strong international confidence in Dubai’s business ecosystem and highlights the growing interest among foreign companies in building economic ties and partnerships with Dubai’s business community.
As part of the mission, the chamber hosted the ‘Dubai–Ethiopia Business Connect’ forum in cooperation with the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates to the Federal Democratic Republic of 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 attracted 669 senior officials, business leaders, and representatives of local companies, providing a platform to explore prospects for cooperation and new partnership opportunities between members of the Dubai delegation and Ethiopia’s business community.
The forum featured the participation of 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 the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the UAE; Dr. Aynalem Abayneh, Vice President, Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce & Sectoral Associations; Eng. Abebe Gurmesa, Vice President, Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations; and Rashed Abdulla Alzoy, Head of Economic, Political and Media Section, UAE Embassy to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
H.E. Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, stated: “We remain committed to strengthening economic ties between Dubai and Ethiopia and creating new channels for cooperation that unlock partnership opportunities for private sector companies in both markets. This trade mission provides an important platform to advance direct dialogue between businesses and explore the potential of the Ethiopian market. It also supports the global expansion of Dubai-based companies, encourages high-impact partnerships, and contributes to the continued growth of the emirate’s non-oil foreign trade.”
The value of non-oil trade between Dubai and Ethiopia reached AED 22.3 billion in 2025, recording strong year-on-year growth of 236.6%. A total of 91 new Ethiopian companies joined Dubai Chamber of Commerce during Q1 2026, bringing the total number of Ethiopian companies registered as active members of the chamber to 1,676 by the end of March 2026.
During the forum, Dubai Chamber of Commerce delivered a comprehensive presentation on Dubai’s dynamic business environment, highlighting the competitive advantages available to Ethiopian companies across diverse sectors and the opportunities to use the emirate as a launchpad for expansion into regional and global markets. Lalise Getachew, Investment Promotion Advisor to the Commissioner of the Ethiopian Investment Commission, also delivered a presentation on Ethiopia’s growing trade and investment landscape, outlining market entry pathways and opportunities for foreign companies and investors.
The trade mission featured representatives from 21 Dubai-based companies operating across diverse sectors including the automotive industry; building materials and construction; electronics; engineering; fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG); food and beverages; interior design; mining and metals; oil and gas; pharmaceuticals and biotechnology; printing and packaging; and textiles and ready-made garments.