RAK Free Trade Zone CEO takes seat as WEPZA Secretary General

The WEPZA will soon open up a new liaison office in the UAE to serve the Gulf Region and the entire Middle East. The spreading economic and free zones in this part of the world will benefit from the UAE based WEPZA office that will be the main reference for information and consultations. The new office will also be a training centre for the emerging free and economic zones.

The WEPZA Council held its annual assembly where members casted votes for electing its executive committee including the post of the "Secretary General" for its new term on the sidelines of the "WEPZA 2007" Conference held in Antalya of Turkey on April lately.

Kursad Tuzmen, State Minister of Foreign Trade, Republic of Turkey, has been reelected as President of WEPZA for another four year term.

Commenting on the elections, El Omari highlighted the key role of the WEPZA in supporting the free zones worldwide and emphasized the importance of the economic processing zones. "The new council will work on raising the international standards of this field," he said.

WEPZA (World Association of Economic Processing Zones and Free Trade Zones) was founded in 1978 by the United Nations. It is an independent association dedicated to the improvement of the efficiency of all Economic Processing Zones. The main mission of the WEPZA is the periodic exchange of information at WEPZA Conferences and workshops, and training the staff of the free and economic zones from around the world.

Holding a permanent seat at the WTO, the WEPZA has a better chance and free hand to support the free and economic zones under international umbrella. The WEPZA is in a position to pave the way for free trade agreements between various countries.

The RAK FTZ has actively taken part at the "Successful Free Zone Strategies Around the World" session of the "WEPZA 2007" Conference in Antalya. The RAK FTZ introduced the attendees and visitors of the conference to the unique experiment and new theme of "Flexi-Zone" which enables investors from around the world to start their businesses at the zone with the least capabilities.

The flexibility and state of the art facilities the RAK FTZ provides to its clients made the difference, and ended the RAK FTZ as a unique one with a worldwide reputation.