Dubai - MENA Herald: Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), Dubai and the UAE’s flagship trade and logistics hub for the wider Middle East region and Africa, has been recognised by the UK-based fDi magazine as ‘Free Zone of the Year’ under three categories.
Among the awards, Jafza won ‘Free Zone of the Year – Large Tenant – Middle East’ and was also commended for its efforts in ‘Infrastructure Development’ and ‘Facilities Upgrades’.
The free zone was selected for these coveted recognitions for its innovative initiatives to support start-up organisations; its continued focus on upgrading infrastructure to keep pace and efficiently meet rapidly changing requirements of the investors and for building an eco-system that encouraged companies to continuously expand their operations in the free zone.
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DP World and Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation said: “Jafza’s win recognises its initiatives to support trade and logistics in the UAE and acknowledges our efforts to build infrastructure and provide services that facilitate the expansion of businesses based here.
“Jafza has been continually supporting its customers in their investment plans, enabling them to reach new and emerging markets, regionally and globally. Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to diversify the national economy, Dubai has been successfully attracting investments to develop various sectors. The Emirate has taken giant strides in implementing creative and innovative technology in order to achieve the objectives of the Dubai Plan 2021.
“These prestigious awards strengthen Jafza’s position as the preferred investment destination for both, multinationals with large-scale operations and small emerging companies. Customer-service has been at the core of our operations and this has allowed us to maintain our top spot as the desired business destination. Year-on-year we have successfully attracted companies from all over the world, evident in the 240 new companies that have established Jafza as their new business home in the first half of 2016 alone.”
Mr. Bin Sulayem stressed that Jafza, as one of the world’s leading free zones has been strengthening Dubai’s ability to attract trade and investment and has become an important landmark of the Emirate’s success as the business centre of the region.
Jafza is home to over 7,000 local and international companies, including 100 companies on the Fortune500 Global list, that have set up regional headquarters in Jafza to serve the Middle East, West Asia, Africa, countries of the CIS and the Indian sub-continent. The Free Zone is strategically located between two of the largest entities for logistics in the region — Jebel Ali Port and Al Maktoum international Airport — allowing easy movement of goods.
