Dubai: The Dubai Free Zones Council (DFZC) meeting, headed by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Council, has explored the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), which seeks to position the emirate among the top three global cities as well as double the size of its economy in the next decade.
The council further affirmed its commitment to achieving the goals of D33 through several initiatives and discussed its plan of action ahead 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.
The session 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 the emirate.
In addition, the council discussed the outcomes of the Free Zones Energy Demand Management Strategy, which aims to reduce the free zone companies’ demand for electricity and energy consumption to achieve sustainability as well as build innovative and environmentally friendly communities.
This strategy supports the UAE Net Zero strategic initiative, which seeks to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 in line with the Year of Sustainability and preparations to host COP 28.
The strategy further 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 session also discussed 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, and meeting the needs and expectations of clients.
Furthermore, the council 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 session 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 the Dubai Free Zone.