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Historical Background

Relations between the UAE and South Africa are as old as the latter’s hard earned democracy. Formal diplomatic relations were established following the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE, Shaikh Hamdan bin Zayed al Nahyan visit to South Africa in 1994. Shaikh Hamdan travelled to South Africa to attend the inauguration of Mr Nelson Mandela as South Africa’s first ever democratically-elected President.

Bilateral relations started developing a few years before when the South African Department of Trade and Industry and the South African Foreign Trade Organisation organised a very successful exhibition of SA products in Dubai. This exhibition took place in October 1992 and has laid a good foundation for what is today a very prosperous business relationship. South African defense companies started to participate in the bi-annual IDEX show. UAE is today an important market for South African military equipment.

The SA Embassy in the Abu Dhabi was opened on 17 January 1995. During the same year the UAE Embassy was opened in Pretoria.

SA and the UAE have exchanged several high-level and ministrerial visits. Former SA President Nelson Mandela attended the summit meeting of the Gulf Co-operation Council in Abu Dhabi in November 1998 and addressed the Emirates International Forum in Dubai in February 2000. The current President of SA Mr Thabo Mbeki, visited the UAE in March 2000. This signifies two very high-level visits to the UAE by current and former SA heads of state and governement in a space of a month. Indeed, this is testamony of very special and constantly growing relations between SA and UAE.

South African nationals in the UAE

There is a growing community of South African nationals in the UAE. According to the UAE immigration authorities, a total of 7 000 South African nationals had UAE residence permits at the end of July 2003.

The demand for South African labour force is on the rise in the UAE. The major sectors where the requirement is increasing are: construction, hospitality, medical, retail management and education. There are a number of South Africans holding several key positions in organisations of repute in the UAE, and employers have come to know and appreciate the quality and professionalism of SA expatriates.

Platform being implemented by the mission to provide fast and effective introduction of products and services across six targeted sectors.

Agri-processing
Chemicals
Metal, capital equipment, mining
Clothing and textiles
Information and communications technology
Tourism and financial services

UAE development drawing interest in the following sectors from major SA companies

Constuction / infrastructure
ICT
Security products and services
Financial services
Hospitality management services
Franchises
Health and education

Imaging

The mission is determined not to let the phenomenal growth in bilateral trade between UAE and SA go unnoticed. For this reason, plans are underway towards creating increased and constant public awareness through partnerships with the media.