Dubai: World Annual International Conference to Discuss Best Practices to Stimulate Economic Growth

The World Free Zones Organisation’s (World FZO) 4th Annual International Conference & Exhibition (AICE) will host the world’s leading policy-makers, industry experts, business leaders and academics on 30 April and 1 May 2018.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the two-day confluence of delegates from more than 100 countries will lead to lively and robust discussions in panels and meetings to shape best practices and foster public awareness about the role and contribution to economic growth by free zones.

The 2018 AICE theme, Free Zone 10X The Path to Prosperity will address the journey of Free Zones – currently at a tipping point – to go beyond the traditional pillars of employment, trade and investment and to embrace safety, security, social responsibility, sustainability, entrepreneurship and incubation as drivers of prosperity. This year’s edition will address issues through the perspectives of Measurement, Acceleration and Connection and explore the power of innovation to harness the true potential of free zones by enhancing safety mechanisms, becoming more inclusive and transforming the communities they operate in.

"Since World FZO was established four years ago, its mandate was to also become a credible international platform supporting global initiatives for local prosperities and to be the leading, united voice of free zones around the world.

The organization has matured into a truly multinational entity and has created a formidable knowledge database and network to foster and support innovation and creativity in the free zones ecosystem and to leverage free zones to improve the competitiveness of countries around the world," said Dr Mohammed Alzarooni, Chairman, World FZO.

"World FZO’s expanding knowledge base underpins its many activities and we are proud to launch important new indicators and several reports at the upcoming AICE. One of our key objectives is to integrate accurate data and enhanced knowledge to drive policy and investment that will support the development of creatively and judiciously run free zones.

This year’s conference theme Free Zone 10X The Path to Prosperity draws inspiration from Dubai’s leadership, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Our objective within World FZO and at the conference is to extend the 10X principle to free zones by exploring how free zones can be 10 times better and ahead of their countries’ economies," he added.

AICE has established itself as an important annual gathering of experts from the world’s free zones, associated entities and multi-lateral organizations. The 4th edition will attract delegates and representatives from trading powerhouses such as the United States, China, Brazil, India as well as from emerging economies such as Dominican Republic, Khazakstan, Mali, Nigeria, Togo and Uruguay.

Reinforcing the importance of World FZO’s AICE as a key event within the international business and trade calendar, a number of workshops will lead up to the main conference, including the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) program, whose 50+ participants will contribute to the diversity of discussions in the main agenda.