Dubai, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, will host the 10th annual World Free Zones Organization (World FZO) World Congress. The event, themed “Zones and the Shifting Global Economic Structures – Unlocking New Investment Avenues,” will take place at Madinat Jumeirah from September 23 to 25.
This year’s congress marks the 10th anniversary of the World FZO and will be held in Dubai for the second consecutive year and the fifth time overall. The previous edition, one of the largest in the World FZO’s history, significantly contributed to its ongoing success.
The 10th edition will bring together representatives from economic zones worldwide, highlighting the World FZO’s dedication to advancing the crucial role of economic zones in global trade, through which over a third of global trade flows. The event will emphasize the impact of these zones in supporting national economies, facilitating trade exchanges, boosting commercial transactions, driving the digital economy, attracting foreign investments, and supporting other economic sectors.
Over 2,000 attendees from 100+ countries
The congress is expected to attract representatives from over 100 countries, including more than 2,000 global and regional business leaders, free zone officials, and a diverse group of experts, specialists, and decision-makers in the free zone, logistics services, and multilateral organization sectors. Investors, entrepreneurs, academics, and representatives from various governmental and semi-governmental entities and major companies involved in these sectors are also anticipated to participate.
Driving collaboration and innovation
Dr. Mohammed Al Zarooni, chairman of the World Free Zones Organization, emphasized that hosting the 10th World FZO World Congress demonstrates Dubai’s commitment to actively contributing to the development of the global system of economic zones. He highlighted that these zones serve as the backbone of international trade in the current era. Dr. Al Zarooni further explained that this aligns with Dubai’s ambitious goal of doubling its foreign trade to reach AED25 trillion and establishing trade corridors with 400 new cities worldwide by 2033, as outlined in the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.
Dr. Al Zarooni highlighted that hosting the event in Dubai provides a unique platform to showcase forward-thinking perspectives and envision the future of global economic zones. He highlighted the event’s potential to spark productive dialogue among key players, fostering collaboration on streamlining business operations, bridging diverse markets, and delivering cost-efficient solutions for customers.
Global reach and impact
The World FZO boasts over 1,600 members from 141 countries, with global representation through 12 regional offices worldwide and 42 national focal points. The Organization’s role continues to expand as free zones increasingly rely on its contributions, services, and network of qualitative strategic partnerships that bind its members. Free zones have grown in terms of their number, size, importance, and position in the value chain. They have also diversified their activities to include new sectors, such as Artificial Intelligence, financial technology, healthcare, and digital commerce, alongside traditional sectors. This expansion has further resulted in significant growth in employment opportunities and the contribution of free zones to the global economy in various ways.
Read more: Zero taxation for free zone firms in UAE
Building a stronger future for global economies
Since its establishment a decade ago, the World FZO has been dedicated to strengthening and expanding its membership base, providing high-quality, diverse, and comprehensive services to its members. Moreover, the Organization is committed to fostering constructive dialogue among all parties and is keen to create opportunities for cooperation to achieve its strategic goal of promoting growth and prosperity for global economies through the free zone model.
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