The South African Department of Agriculture has completed a high-level working visit across Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) aimed at expanding agricultural trade and opening critical market access for local producers. The mission, which ran from late September 2026 in collaboration with South African diplomatic missions in the region, focused heavily on unlocking opportunities for the domestic livestock sector following serious trade disruptions.
Addressing Trade Barriers and Disease Controls
The initiative comes as local livestock farmers continue to face severe market constraints caused by outbreaks of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). The disease restrictions have halted key livestock and product exports, placing substantial economic pressure on local producers.
To address these barriers, the delegation—led by Ms. Kwena Komape, Deputy Director-General for Economic Development, Trade, and Marketing, on behalf of Deputy Minister Capa—engaged with international regulatory bodies and buyers to align safety protocols. The parties agreed to share detailed disease-control information, allowing South Africa to present its containment measures and explore equivalence standards to help reopen export channels.
Engagements with Key Saudi Entities
The first phase of the tour took place in Saudi Arabia, featuring discussions with key government and commercial entities. The South African delegation, alongside representatives from the domestic livestock industry, met with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), the Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company (SALIC), and the General Authority for Foreign Trade (GAFT).
These technical sessions were designed to identify commercial openings for South African exports while exploring potential reciprocal trade opportunities. Subsequent meetings involved major regional commercial networks, including the South African Business Council and the Federation of Saudi Business, focusing on technology innovation and buyer-supplier linkages.
Expanding Bilateral Relations in Oman and the UAE
Following engagements in Saudi Arabia, the delegation proceeded to Oman for discussions with the Ministry of Environment, Water, Fisheries and Agriculture, as well as the Omani Chamber of Business. Both delegations affirmed their commitment to expanding bilateral trade while ensuring strict adherence to sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures.
The mission concluded in Dubai with meetings alongside the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment. Bilateral discussions centered on draft Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with both Oman and the UAE. Once finalized, these agreements will establish formal frameworks to increase agricultural trade volumes and facilitate long-term economic collaboration.
Future Steps for Trade Acceleration
Across all three destinations, officials and industry stakeholders agreed on actionable steps to build momentum. Key strategies include compiling concrete expressions of interest, hosting business-to-business (B2B) networking sessions, and inviting regional partners to participate in trade missions and discussion panels.
In addition to direct trade, the partners plan to collaborate on agricultural research, specialized training, and knowledge-sharing initiatives to build resilient supply chains across the regions.