Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone (RAK FTZ) has signed a strategic partnership agreement with the emirate's municipality to help enhance the free zone’s approval and transaction procedures.

The agreement was signed by Sheikh Mohammed bin Humaid Al Qasimi, the managing director, RAK FTZ, together with Munther Mohammed Bin Shakar, the general manager, RAK Municipality.

On the deal, Al Qasimi said: "With the aim to attract more international investors to the shore, RAK FTZ will continue looking into more strategic partnerships in the future to help boost the competitiveness of the UAE, particularly the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah."

Eyad Ismail, the engineering manager, RAK FTZ, said the agreement was greatly beneficial for the free zone when it came to serving its more than 8,000 clients across over 50 industry sectors.

The pact covers various partnership activities and commitments including working hand-in-hand to raise the level of co-ordination to speed up documentation and licence approvals, as well as the issuance of no objection certificates for clients in food, veterinary and cosmetics industries.

Besides this, the deal also boosts the acceleration of the adoption and registration of RAK FTZ’s new properties; gaining access to governmental land database in order to utilise unused government-owned land for investment in different industries and help boost RAK’s economy and also update RAK municipality regarding the free zone’s projects and property development plans.

"RAK FTZ is dedicated to providing ease of doing business to its clients. This is the reason why we are continuously looking for ways to improve our system, especially the waiting time for approvals and other procedures," he noted.

“The signing of the strategic partnership agreement with RAK Municipality is a great way to fast-track processes and facilitate greater support to the free zone’s existing and potential clients, from the company formation stage and the stages afterwards,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service