Tejari and Jafza to create virtual free zone to advance e-Commerce for trading partners

The virtual free zone will enable Jafza's community to send and receive trade leads, create online company profiles and product showrooms, and find suitable trading partners through Tejari's secure business-to-business environment.

The virtual free zone is the latest community portal created by Tejari following the recent launch of CommuniTEA, a joint online initiative with the Dubai Multi Commodities Center to support the regional and global tea trading sector.

"While Jebel Ali has a twenty-year history of fostering trade in the Middle East, our more than 5000 member companies are still avidly looking for new ways to meet potential partners as well as additional sales opportunities," said Salma Hareb, Jafza's CEO.

"Expanding to an online platform will enable organizations in Jebel Ali to widen their market potential and allow companies of all sizes to locate buyers and suppliers in a dynamic and cost-effective new medium. As members of Tejari ourselves, this is a new service for our partners that we consider to be of measurable value, " she continued.

In addition to building the online community portal within the larger Tejari marketplace, Tejari is providing the Free Zone members with easy entry to the virtual free zone community by means of a three month free trial. Tejari will also be offering its world-class customer support for Jebel Ali-based organizations that join the new electronic trading zone.

"It's absolutely certain that there are promising trade opportunities within the region itself, of which Jafza member companies may be unaware and which can be uncovered quickly and affordably through the new virtual free trade zone," said Omar Hijazi, CEO of Tejari. "Jebel Ali's business partners can spare themselves the time and cost of countless phone calls, faxes, emails and sales calls by taking advantage of the 'market-making' capabilities of this new online community."

Since inception, Tejari has played a major role in growing the eCommerce adoption in the region through offering B2B e-trade solutions. The recent agreement with Jafza will encourage Tejari to further extend its offering to different trading communities in the region. Following the initial agreement with Jafza authorities, Tejari has entered the development phase of the new virtual free zone and expects it to be operational within the third quarter.