DAFZA and Spanish Business Council delegation review investment cooperation

UAE– August 10, 2016- The Dubai Airport Freezone Authority (DAFZA) discussed ways to develop mutual economic cooperation with the Spanish Business Council in order to enable Spanish companies to benefit from the available growth potentials at the Freezone, which provides an ideal gateway to the emerging markets in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asian regions (MENASA). This took place during a visit of a high-level Spanish delegation headed by His Excellency José Eugenio Salarich, Ambassador of Spain to the UAE. The ambassador commended DAFZA for providing a pioneering global model on effective free zone management. H.E. Dr. Mohammed Al Zarooni, Director General, DAFZA, received the visiting delegation, which also included Ricardo Fessas, Chairman of the Spanish Business Council and other senior Council officials. Al Zarooni stressed on the role of free zones in revitalizing global investments and strengthening international trade to achieve a more diversified, stable and sustainable global economy.

H.E. Dr. Al Zarooni expressed happiness in the move towards exploring the prospects of investment cooperation with the Spanish Business Council. He noted that the visit of the Spanish delegation reflects the high confidence of the international business community in DAFZA—reinforcing its position as a premiere investment destination that attracts major international and multinational companies from the most vital sectors. 

He added: “DAFZA has become a main player on the global investment map, which motivates us to continue moving forward in our efforts to establish a strong strategic presence regionally and globally. DAFZA represents an attractive environment for the Spanish business community to direct its investments towards the UAE market that is full of tremendous growth opportunities in conjunction with the ongoing preparations to host Expo Dubai 2020.”

Al Zarooni concluded: “DAFZA is keen on transferring its leading experience as one of the most advanced free zones in the world to our counterparts in Spain and the rest of world, as well as innovating and providing the best business services and solutions that are designed specifically to meet the needs of the international and regional investors, as part of our commitment towards contributing to drive the growth, diversification and sustainability of the national economy and achieving the goals of ‘Dubai Plan 2021,’ which is centered on making the emirate a main hub of the global economy and one of the most important business centers in the world. We look forward to build an effective partnership with the Spanish Business Council in order to strengthen the role of DAFZA as a global gateway for Spanish companies seeking new opportunities to take advantage of the opportunities available in the UAE and the regional emerging markets.” 

For his part, H.E. Salarich explained that DAFZA has exceptional global experience in the field of free zones, emphasizing the importance of benefiting from its success story and how it is now widely reputed as one of the fastest growing free zones and one of the most competitive in the world.

H.E. Salarich said: “Spain embraces many free zones, so we are confident that our meeting with DAFZA officials will open broad prospects for the development of a solid foundation for us to promote the exchange of experiences and the transfer of knowledge relevant to the management of free zones. We look forward as well to the forging of effective partnerships that will pave the way for even more Spanish companies to take advantage of the facilities provided by DAFZA, which is considered as an ideal investment environment for expanding within the promising regional market.”

DAFZA hosts a group of leading Spanish companies involved in electronics, aviation and avionics and related services, engineering and construction materials, luxury goods, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, cosmetics, perfumes, food and beverages, and consulting and business management. Among those that have set up their regional headquarters in DAFZA are Natura Bisse International FZE, Avioparts FZE, HC Trading FZE, TESA Middle East, Fermax Middle East and PHIBO Middle East.