Pretoria - International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane will today host her United Arab Emirates (UAE) counterpart Shaikh Abdullah.
The two ministers, who are meeting for the second time in South Africa, will discuss economic and trade relations between the two countries.
Relationships between the two countries are mutually beneficial with more than 100 South African companies with representative offices in the UAE making a valuable contribution to the development of that country's economy.
"In the construction industry, South African companies have been involved in some of the UAE's major projects.
"South Africa and the UAE maintain a very strong economic relationship. The UAE is the 24th largest market for South African products," said the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
It said UAE is one of the major investors in South Africa, the largest investment being Dubai World's acquisition of the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.
In 2002, South Africa's exports to UAE were estimated at close to R2 billion and imports from the UAE being over R2.4 billion.
