Dubai Chambers explores strengthening economic relations with Serbia

Dubai Chambers explored ways to deepen economic cooperation with Serbia during a recenttrade mission to Belgrade aimed at expanding bilateral engagement across a range of sectors.

The delegation was led by Eng. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Chairman of Dubai Chambers, and attended by Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, as part of the ‘Growth Corridors’ initiative to strengthen trade and investment cooperation with high-potential global markets and unlock new partnership opportunities.

Eng. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Chairman of Dubai Chambers, stated, “The growing cooperation between Dubai and Serbia reflects our shared commitment to opening new horizons for trade and investment. This visit offers an important opportunity to deepen dialogue between our business communities and explore strategic partnerships that advance shared economic objectives, create high-value opportunities, and support growth in vital sectors. This aligns with Dubai Chambers’ ongoing efforts to strengthen international cooperation and build constructive partnerships with markets around the world.”

During the visit, the delegation held a series of meetings and roundtable discussions with Serbian stakeholders, including talks with the Ministry of Domestic and Foreign Trade attended by Jagoda Lazarević, Minister of Domestic and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Serbia.

Discussions focused on strengthening trade and investment ties in priority sectors including food and agriculture, tourism, renewable energy, and logistics, as well as exploring cooperation to attract technology talent.

Dubai Chambers also invited Serbian companies to participate in specialised trade exhibitions hosted in Dubai and underlined the value of co-organising bilateral business events to facilitate direct engagement and partnership-building between Serbian companies and their counterparts in Dubai.

As part of the mission, Dubai Chambers held a roundtable with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS), bringing together seven leading Serbian technology entrepreneurs. The session highlighted Dubai’s strategy to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence applications, as well as the support available from Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy for Serbian companies seeking to expand into Dubai and benefit from the emirate’s advanced technology ecosystem.

Additional roundtables were organised with the Science and Technology Park Belgrade (STP Belgrade) and Serbia’s Innovation Fund to explore opportunities in innovation and advanced technologies, particularly in healthtech, gaming, biotechnology, and blockchain, alongside initiatives to strengthen collaboration and enhance entrepreneurial ecosystems.

The delegation also highlighted Dubai’s advantages for Serbian e-commerce companies seeking regional expansion, supported by the emirate’s role as a regional hub for warehousing and distribution and its advanced logistics and supply chain infrastructure.

Dubai Chambers met with the Development Agency of Serbia, the government body responsible for supporting and attracting investment, promoting exports, and enhancing competitiveness. Discussions focused on boosting mutual investment flows and exploring cooperation in strategic sectors including manufacturing, mining, and advanced technology, as well as specialised investment opportunities in logistics, tourism, artificial intelligence, and pharmaceuticals.

Throughout the mission, Dubai Chambers outlined the support available to Serbian companies seeking to establish operations in Dubai and expand from the emirate into regional and global markets, particularly in light of the opportunities created by the UAE–Serbia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).The discussions also covered ways to strengthen business cooperation across diverse sectors including technology, innovation, real estate, trade, and financial services.

Non-oil trade between Dubai and Serbia reached AED335.8 million in 2024, representing 43.5 year-on-year growth. During 2025, 109 Serbian companies joined Dubai Chamber of Commerce, taking the total number of active Serbian member companies to 308 by the end of the year, representing 36.9 per cent annual growth.