ADDIS ABABA, 22nd October, 2026 (WAM) –Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), represented by Sharjah Export Development Centre (SEDC), organised the Sharjah–Ethiopia Business Forum in Addis Ababa, as part of its trade mission to Ethiopia, bringing together Emirati delegates and Ethiopian business representatives to explore trade and investment opportunities.
Held under the theme “Fostering New Partnerships and Driving the Future Together”, the forum aimed to strengthen economic ties between Sharjah and Ethiopia, identify new avenues for bilateral cooperation, and strengthen partnerships that support trade and investment growth in both markets.
The forum was attended by Abdallah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of SCCI and head of the trade mission; Hassan Mohammed, Ethiopia’s State Minister of Industry; Waleed AbdelRahman BuKhatir, Second Vice Chairman of SCCI; Mohamed Ali Hilal Al Hazami, Board Member of SCCI; and Ayesha Mohammed Saeed Al Mulla, Chairperson of Emirates Businesswomen Council (EBWC).
Also present were Abdalla Hassan Alshamsi, UAE Ambassador to Ethiopia; Dewano Kedir, Director General of Middle East, Asia and Pacific Affairs at Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Bereket Meseret, Representative of Ethiopia’s Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration; Zekarias Assefa, Secretary-General of Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations (Addis Chamber). The forum brought together Emirati delegates representing 10 companies and more than 140 Ethiopian business representatives.
A central highlight of the forum was the official signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between SCCI and the Addis Chamber. The agreement aims to solidify institutional cooperation, strengthen bilateral economic and trade ties, and broaden business-to-business engagement. It also seeks to facilitate trade and investment partnerships and joint ventures and unlock new avenues of cooperation between the business communities of Sharjah and Ethiopia.
The forum also featured a panel discussion bringing together officials and representatives of Ethiopia’s public and private sectors. Moderated by Lamia Al Jasmi, Head of Exporters’ Service Department at SEDC, the discussion explored opportunities to enhance economic and trade cooperation and identify investment opportunities for Emirati and Ethiopian companies, contributing to broader cooperation and stronger trade relations between the two sides.
Abdallah Sultan Al Owais said the forum serves as an important platform for enhancing trade and investment relations between Sharjah and Ethiopia and unlocking new opportunities for collaboration between their business communities.
He stressed the importance of building on the established economic ties between the UAE and Ethiopia to forge strategic partnerships that drive trade and investment growth and enable companies to expand their reach across international markets.
For his part, Hassan Mohammed called on Emirati businesses to scale up their investments in the Ethiopian market, with a focus on long-term ventures that advance local manufacturing, facilitate technology transfer and generate employment.
He noted that Ethiopia’s natural resources, young labour force, strategic location and ongoing economic reforms provide a strong foundation for expanding investment and industrial partnerships. He outlined a range of high-potential sectors for cooperation, including food and beverages, textiles, leather, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, metals, construction materials, packaging and agricultural machinery.
Meanwhile, Bereket Meseret reported that bilateral trade between the UAE and Ethiopia totalled $5.6 billion from 2021 to 2025, comprising $1.2 billion in Ethiopian exports and $4.4 billion in imports from the UAE. He highlighted coffee as Ethiopia’s leading export to the UAE, followed by sesame seeds, meat products, cut flowers and fresh produce.
Dewano Kedir underscored the importance of the strategic partnership between the UAE and Ethiopia, highlighting the two countries’ shared commitment to deepening private-sector collaboration and advancing mutual economic interests. He encouraged Emirati companies to explore the Ethiopian market and identify opportunities to progress from conventional trade exchanges to manufacturing ventures and long-term investments.
Zekarias Assefa emphasised the role of bilateral meetings in translating business networking opportunities into tangible partnerships, joint ventures and trade agreements. He noted that the complementary economic capabilities of the UAE and Ethiopia create significant scope for collaboration across agriculture, manufacturing, mining, energy, information and communications technology, and tourism.
The forum featured a series of B2B meetings bringing together Sharjah-based companies and Ethiopian businesses to discuss trade and investment opportunities and explore potential partnerships across industry, agriculture, agribusiness and food security, alongside food processing, packaging, building materials and logistics. The meetings aimed to strengthen direct business-to-business engagement, deepen understanding of market requirements, and identify opportunities to establish joint ventures and advance commercial relations.
Source: Emirates News Agency