Dubai Free Zones Council sets green economy as a key priority on its agenda

The Dubai Free Zones Council (DFZC) meeting, headed by H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Council, explored the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), which aims to position Dubai among the top three global cities and double the size of its economy in the next decade.

The Council affirmed its commitment to achieving the goals of D33 through several initiatives and discussed its plan of action in light of the UAE’s preparations to host the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 28) in Dubai Expo City. This was in addition to outlining its packages that simplify services and enhance the experience of foreign investors. The Council also highlighted the importance of attracting Emirati talents to work in free zone companies in Dubai by coordinating with the Emirati Human Resources Development Council in Dubai and several other topics related to the business sectors in the free zones.

The Council discussed the outcomes of the Free Zones Energy Demand Management Strategy, which seeks to reduce the free zone companies' demand for electricity and energy consumption to achieve sustainability and contribute to achieving the wise leadership’s vision to consolidate Dubai's leading position and build innovative and environmentally friendly communities. This strategy paves the way for supporting the objectives of the UAE Net Zero strategic initiative, which seeks to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, in conjunction with the Year of Sustainability and preparations to host COP 28.

The strategy aims to reduce demand for energy and water by 30 percent by 2030 for free zones and companies, in addition to providing added value to businesses. The strategy further outlines methods to introduce innovation, awareness technologies, and processes related to energy demand reduction and sustainability, as well as providing resources, tools, programs, and policies, and reducing the carbon footprint of free zones, in cooperation with the concerned government agencies.

The Council also explored a proposal to unify the title and classifications of services at Dubai free zones. This follows the methodology adopted by the Dubai Model, which offers packages that contribute to simplifying services, upgrading service channels within free zones, meeting the needs and expectations of clients, and raising their satisfaction levels.

The Council discussed the importance of attracting Emirati talents to work in free zone companies in Dubai by reviewing the initiatives and achievements realized during the past period. It also affirmed the importance of continuing coordination with free zone authorities to encourage their companies to employ UAE nationals and benefit from government capabilities and incentives, such as the Nafis program. The Council underlined the need to support these initiatives and maintain collaboration with work teams and the Emirati Human Resources Development Council in Dubai to achieve the best results and empower a new generation of Emirati talents in various sectors within Dubai Free Zones.

Source: Amjad Saleh, Emirates News Agency - WAM