SHARJAH, 18th October, 2026 (WAM) — Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), represented by Sharjah Export Development Centre (SEDC), is organising a high-level trade mission to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 19th to 22nd October 2026.
Led by Abdallah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of SCCI, the mission will bring together members of the official delegation and representatives of private-sector companies in Sharjah. It forms part of SCCI’s efforts to strengthen economic and trade relations with African markets and unlock new opportunities for trade and investment cooperation.
The mission aims to boost trade between Sharjah and Ethiopia, explore promising investment opportunities across sectors of shared interest, expand access for UAE-made products to African markets, and foster strategic partnerships between businesses in both countries.
As part of the mission’s programme, the Sharjah–Ethiopia Business Forum will be held in Addis Ababa on 20 October 2026, bringing together senior government officials, representatives of chambers of commerce and economic institutions, and companies from both countries to explore opportunities for trade and investment cooperation.
The key Ethiopian officials featured in the meeting programme include Dr. Abdulhakim Mulu, State Minister of Trade and Regional Integration; Hasan Muhumed Moalin, State Minister of Industry; and Dr. Sofia Kassa, State Minister for Agricultural Investment and Input Supply Development Sector at Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture.
Discussions with Ethiopian officials are set to focus on ways to enhance trade, industrial and agricultural cooperation, facilitate access for UAE products to the Ethiopian market, and identify investment opportunities in manufacturing, food processing, agriculture, packaging, construction materials and logistics.
The forum will also facilitate business-to-business (B2B) engagements between participating Sharjah-based companies and Ethiopian businesses, with the aim of promoting trade and investment partnerships and enhancing private-sector cooperation between the two countries.
The Sharjah Chamber’s trade mission to Addis Ababa will feature meetings with Ethiopian government entities and economic institutions, including the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ethiopian Investment Commission. The programme will also include engagements with the Ethiopian Chambers of Commerce and Sectoral Associations (ECCSA) and the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations (AACCSA).
These engagements aim to explore joint investment opportunities, gain insights into the regulatory and legislative frameworks governing trade and investment, establish effective mechanisms for institutional cooperation, and facilitate direct business-to-business engagement between Emirati and Ethiopian companies.
The trade mission will also explore the potential renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between SCCI and AACCSA in 2001, reflecting the growing economic ties between Sharjah and Addis Ababa. The move could help deepen institutional cooperation, facilitate the exchange of information and trade delegations, and support the coordination of joint economic events.
Abdallah Sultan Al Owais said the trade mission to Addis Ababa is part of SCCI’s strategy to boost private-sector competitiveness, broaden Sharjah’s export markets, and expand the network of trade and investment partnerships for businesses operating in the emirate.
“The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is a promising market with a diverse range of economic and investment opportunities. Through this mission, we look forward to strengthening cooperation between the business communities in Sharjah and Ethiopia and opening new channels for trade and investment exchange in ways that support the growth of the emirate’s exports and enhance the presence of UAE companies in African markets,” Al Owais added.
He further affirmed the Sharjah Chamber’s commitment to developing sustainable institutional partnerships with Ethiopian economic entities and chambers of commerce, helping create new opportunities for businesses and investors and promoting cooperation across industrial, agricultural and commercial sectors of mutual interest.
The mission will also feature field visits to selected industrial facilities and economic institutions in Ethiopia, providing an opportunity to explore the country’s production capabilities and investment prospects, understand local market needs, and identify potential trade and industrial partnerships between participating companies and Ethiopian businesses.
The trade mission forms part of SEDC’s ongoing efforts to drive the growth of UAE exports, broaden market reach, and encourage companies to leverage emerging economic opportunities across Africa, in line with Sharjah’s vision for economic diversification and sustainable development.
Source: Emirates News Agency
