Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) is in a strong position to benefit from the tremendous growth opportunities Dubai has to offer, said a top official.

“The government’s ongoing investment in infrastructure, the continuous expansion in the port and free zone, and Jafza's unique position at the heart of a multi-modal logistics platform which links air, land and sea, offer an unparalleled mix for growth and prosperity to its customers,” said Ibrahim Al Janahi, deputy CEO and chief commercial officer, Economic Zones World, at a Suhoor gathering at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

He highlighted plans to develop the ambitious 'Jafza One' project - an upcoming business community and destination tailored for like-minded business professionals to interact, engage, and prosper.

Jafza One is designed to provide a harmonious balance between business and pleasure. The project offers a business friendly atmosphere for companies to operate and thrive, taking advantage of a free zone environment, complete with a modern communications and utilities infrastructure at a single location.

Hisham Al Shirawi, chairman Economic Zones World, and Talal Al Hashemi, chief operating officer, Economic Zones World and senior Jafza officials were present at the gathering, which aimed to promote networking opportunities, provide Jafza officials first-hand knowledge of market requirements and global market challenges of operating within the Free Zone.

The programme featured a talk by Nasif Kayed, general manager of The Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, who highlighted the virtues of Ramadan, Islamic history, culture, and life in the UAE.

The top companies, which joined the ranks of some of the world's finest organisations in Jafza, included leading multinationals such as Casio, Dunlop Beltings, Hyundai welding, IAL Group, APR Energy, Unatrac, Buhlmann, CJ Korea Express among many others. More than 150 high-profile names have set up operations in the free zone since the beginning of this year, bringing the total number of companies in Jafza to over 7,000.

Al Janahi said at the event that Dubai is the ideal city to host Expo 2020, which would not only benefit the city, but the entire region.

"With more than 200 nationalities calling Dubai home, it is the most eligible venue for such a significant global event," he said, adding that the location earmarked for the expo, was “practically next door,” to Jafza, which presents tremendous opportunities for the businesses operating within the free zone to come into direct contact with global companies on a massive scale. - TradeArabia News Service