ZonesCorp
Attracting Industry
to Abu Dhabi
Interview with HE Mohamed H. Al Qamzi, CEO of ZonesCorp
Mohamed H. Al Qamzi is Chief Executive of the
Higher Corporation For Specialized Economic
Zones, better known as “ZonesCorp”. The
organisation plays a major role in driving innovation
and economic diversification.
ZonesCorp is the government backed agency
responsible for the establishment, management and
operation of specialised economic zones in Abu
Dhabi.
According to its own literature, ZonesCorp’s remit is to
“empower [Abu Dhabi] to develop its infrastructure and to
enable the business environment to reshape the Emirate’s
economic landscape through the implementation of
targeted industrialisation and investment programmes.”
It also serves as the licensing authority for all industrialised
activity in Abu Dhabi and plays a pivotal role in strategy
and policy setting in line with the Vision 2030 government
mandate. Central to this is a strategy of industrial
clusters which Mohamed H. Al Qamzi, Chief
Executive of ZonesCorp describes as “a critical factor
in the attractiveness of Abu Dhabi for any investor”.
According to the chief executive, “Our ability to
cluster specific industrial groups together throughout
our developments, means that we save money for
companies that establish within the zones. The
infrastructure that serves each cluster is specifically
tailored to that cluster’s needs. All logistics are well
catered for.”
The corporation’s zones, ICAD (Industrial City Abu
Dhabi) numbers 1 to 4 ( and a 5th in the pipeline) are
located around Mussafah on the city’s outskirts.
They are complimented by the existence of Workers
Residential Cities, providing accomodation for
the manpower of the industrial zones. Following a
number of concerns expressed internationally about
the living conditions of immigrant workers in the
UAE, Al Qamzi stresses the fact that new living
quarters have been provided for workers that are a
considerably better than those previously provided.
ZonesCorp was created in 2004 by a decree from
His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan,
President of UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi. The
organisation serves as one of the first ports of call
for an industrial investor in the Emirate. Operating
through Public-Private Partnership management
structures, ZonesCorp can leverage “off an enhanced
financial capability” and provide “services to facilitate
investors”.
Companies can enjoy duty-free import of machinery
and raw materials, free repatriation of profits, tax
exemptions, competitively priced utilities as well as
duty-free access to the GCC market. Already only 12
minutes from the Abu Dhabi International Airport,
50 minutes from Jebel Ali Port and Airport, the zones
will soon be served with the forthcoming “Abu Dhabi
Industrial Port” as well.
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