The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will next week lead a business delegation on an outward selling mission to Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The department said the mission, which begins on Sunday and ends on Thursday, aims to build on the commitments made by President Jacob Zuma during his visit to Iran and the UAE last year.
The visit would further aim to expose South African companies to opportunities in the Middle East market and to deepen bilateral trade and investment relations between these countries.
According to the minister of trade and industry, Rob Davies, the outward selling mission also aims to create more awareness of South African goods and services, and to foster further interactions and collaboration in these countries.
“The outward selling mission will serve as an ideal opportunity for South African companies to look for export opportunities in Iran and the United Arab Emirates in order to export value-added products, and services,” Davies said in a statement.
Sectors targeted for the mission are agro-processing, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, automotives and components, infrastructure, water treatment and desalination, chemicals, energy and aviation.
The programme for the outward selling mission would include business seminars, business-to-business meetings and site visits.
DTI said total trade between South Africa and Iran decreased from R27.5 billion in 2011, to R583 million in 2016 due to sanctions.
The UAE is South Africa’s largest export partner in the region. DTI said South Africa’s exports to UAE experienced an exponential increase from R8.6 billion in 2012 to R21.1 billion in 2016.
– African News Agency (ANA)
