03:21Representatives of the government and the private sector gathered in Pretoria to celebrate 30 years of bilateral relations between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and South Africa.
The UAE Ambassador to South Africa Mahash Saeed Alhameli explained the roots of the close economic ties between the UAE and South Africa.
"Today we're celebrating this year 30 years of relations which has been shaken hands by our late founder of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed, and also Nelson Mandela, in the visit of 1994 to the United Arab Emirates," he explained.
Alhameli also noted that the UAE is well-positioned to assist South Africa in key areas, including energy, agriculture, technology and food security. "We speak about how we can partner, how we improve life on the continent, and also the lives of 120,000 living in UAE that are also the economy for South Africa," he noted.
UAE Ministry of Economics project director Omar Alhumaidi explained the current scope of economic cooperation with South Africa.
"We've seen many companies' start-ups in South Africa, over 800 companies now based in the UAE and taking it from there to the world. That's not a small number we're talking about. Our big companies as well today are looking into opportunities when it comes to renewable energy in South Africa, when it comes to healthcare and many other sectors, even in AI and technology," he explained.
Dean of South Africa's UNISA Human Sciences College Zerish Nkosi said the close ties with the UAE and higher educational institutions in the country support knowledge-sharing.
"Our department of higher education and training, where we improve on our engagements, and then we seek partnerships from other countries that can give us better expertise. So the UAE has proved to be one of the countries, especially in terms of energy," said Nkosi, who noted that UNISA had scooped an Emirati Zairi Award as the best research institute in 2022, demonstrating the 'partnership is a long-term investment'.
Attendees from South Africa’s trade ministry noted that non-oil trade between South Africa and the UAE had increased significantly to almost $ 7 billion in the last year, and expect this figure to rise in the coming years. One of the largest recent deals between the two countries included the $890-million acquisition of Imperial Logistics by Dubai-based DP World. AMEA Power also concluded 20-year power purchase agreements (PPA) with two South African power companies.
In June 2024, the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry signed an MOU with South Africa’s SMME Commerce Chamber – which includes plans to develop the so-called township economies to create greater access to goods and to develop entrepreneurship at a grassroots level in South Africa.
'How we improve life on the continent' - South Africa and UAE celebrate 30 years of building relations in Pretoria
Representatives of the government and the private sector gathered in Pretoria to celebrate 30 years of bilateral relations between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and South Africa.
The UAE Ambassador to South Africa Mahash Saeed Alhameli explained the roots of the close economic ties between the UAE and South Africa.
"Today we're celebrating this year 30 years of relations which has been shaken hands by our late founder of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed, and also Nelson Mandela, in the visit of 1994 to the United Arab Emirates," he explained.
Alhameli also noted that the UAE is well-positioned to assist South Africa in key areas, including energy, agriculture, technology and food security. "We speak about how we can partner, how we improve life on the continent, and also the lives of 120,000 living in UAE that are also the economy for South Africa," he noted.
UAE Ministry of Economics project director Omar Alhumaidi explained the current scope of economic cooperation with South Africa.
"We've seen many companies' start-ups in South Africa, over 800 companies now based in the UAE and taking it from there to the world. That's not a small number we're talking about. Our big companies as well today are looking into opportunities when it comes to renewable energy in South Africa, when it comes to healthcare and many other sectors, even in AI and technology," he explained.
Dean of South Africa's UNISA Human Sciences College Zerish Nkosi said the close ties with the UAE and higher educational institutions in the country support knowledge-sharing.
"Our department of higher education and training, where we improve on our engagements, and then we seek partnerships from other countries that can give us better expertise. So the UAE has proved to be one of the countries, especially in terms of energy," said Nkosi, who noted that UNISA had scooped an Emirati Zairi Award as the best research institute in 2022, demonstrating the 'partnership is a long-term investment'.
Attendees from South Africa’s trade ministry noted that non-oil trade between South Africa and the UAE had increased significantly to almost $ 7 billion in the last year, and expect this figure to rise in the coming years. One of the largest recent deals between the two countries included the $890-million acquisition of Imperial Logistics by Dubai-based DP World. AMEA Power also concluded 20-year power purchase agreements (PPA) with two South African power companies.
In June 2024, the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry signed an MOU with South Africa’s SMME Commerce Chamber – which includes plans to develop the so-called township economies to create greater access to goods and to develop entrepreneurship at a grassroots level in South Africa.
Representatives of the government and the private sector gathered in Pretoria to celebrate 30 years of bilateral relations between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and South Africa.
The UAE Ambassador to South Africa Mahash Saeed Alhameli explained the roots of the close economic ties between the UAE and South Africa.
"Today we're celebrating this year 30 years of relations which has been shaken hands by our late founder of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed, and also Nelson Mandela, in the visit of 1994 to the United Arab Emirates," he explained.
Alhameli also noted that the UAE is well-positioned to assist South Africa in key areas, including energy, agriculture, technology and food security. "We speak about how we can partner, how we improve life on the continent, and also the lives of 120,000 living in UAE that are also the economy for South Africa," he noted.
UAE Ministry of Economics project director Omar Alhumaidi explained the current scope of economic cooperation with South Africa.
"We've seen many companies' start-ups in South Africa, over 800 companies now based in the UAE and taking it from there to the world. That's not a small number we're talking about. Our big companies as well today are looking into opportunities when it comes to renewable energy in South Africa, when it comes to healthcare and many other sectors, even in AI and technology," he explained.
Dean of South Africa's UNISA Human Sciences College Zerish Nkosi said the close ties with the UAE and higher educational institutions in the country support knowledge-sharing.
"Our department of higher education and training, where we improve on our engagements, and then we seek partnerships from other countries that can give us better expertise. So the UAE has proved to be one of the countries, especially in terms of energy," said Nkosi, who noted that UNISA had scooped an Emirati Zairi Award as the best research institute in 2022, demonstrating the 'partnership is a long-term investment'.
Attendees from South Africa’s trade ministry noted that non-oil trade between South Africa and the UAE had increased significantly to almost $ 7 billion in the last year, and expect this figure to rise in the coming years. One of the largest recent deals between the two countries included the $890-million acquisition of Imperial Logistics by Dubai-based DP World. AMEA Power also concluded 20-year power purchase agreements (PPA) with two South African power companies.
In June 2024, the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry signed an MOU with South Africa’s SMME Commerce Chamber – which includes plans to develop the so-called township economies to create greater access to goods and to develop entrepreneurship at a grassroots level in South Africa.