South African companies have strengthened economic ties with Egypt following a successful Outward Selling Mission (OSM) organised by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) in January 2026.
The export promotion initiative, held from 24 to 30 January, aimed to boost bilateral trade, attract investment, and encourage collaboration between private sector firms in both nations. Twenty South African businesses participated, representing diverse sectors including automotives and components, mining equipment, services and technology, geospatial services, chemicals and plastic fabrication, electrotechnical and ICT, agro-processing, cosmetics, and clothing and textiles.
The mission featured a high-level trade and investment seminar, opened by H.E. Ambassador NJ Mashimbye, South Africa’s Ambassador to Egypt. Key participants included representatives from the Egyptian Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade, the Suez Canal Special Economic Zone (SCSEZ), various Egyptian business chambers and trade associations, with support from the South African Embassy in Egypt.
A series of targeted business-to-business meetings paired South African and Egyptian firms, complemented by insightful site visits to explore partnership opportunities.The dtic hailed the OSM as a key step in expanding South Africa’s export footprint in North Africa and fostering sustainable economic cooperation.
