THE Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA) has said its participation in The Partnership Summit 2015 in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, was a successful move.

The three-day international investors’ meet was organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of India.

“Our participation was yet another step in the strengthening of our trade relations with investors in India,” said Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, director of Hamriyah free zone and Sharjah Airport International Free (Saif) Zone.

“The event opened a door of opportunities for us and our team worked to establish new investment relationships and shared the HFZA’s incentives and benefits with Indian and international investors,” Al Mazrouei noted.

“Participation in the summit provided a real potential opportunity and our team interacted with trade investors, industry leaders and entrepreneurs from Australia, Bangladesh, China, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Malta, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka and the US.

“HFZA’s business-friendly environment and zero-tax regime has already attracted over 6,000 companies over the past years and the number of enquiries is increasing every day,” Al Mazrouei said.

The summit with its theme – Partnerships for Shared New Realities – attracted over 1,400 delegates from different countries. Leaders from all walks of life discussed global growth and the role of building new bridges to the emerging world by fostering links globally.

Top ministers, diplomats and investors from a host of countries attended the event including the UAE Economy Minister Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori.

Also present were Nikola Gruevski, Prime Minister, Macedonia; Andrew Robb AO, Minister for Trade and Investment, Australia; Tofail Ahmed, Minister of Commerce, Bangladesh; Pan Sorasak, Secretary of State, Ministry of Commerce, Cambodia; Gao Yan, Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Commerce, China, and Christian Cardona, Minister of the Economy, Investment and Small Business, Malta.

Other participants were Jerry Naumoff, FDI Minister, Macedonia; Mustapa Mohamed, Minister of International Trade and Industry, Malaysia; Mohamed Mamoune Bouhdoud, Minister of Industry, Trade, Investment and Digital Economies, Morocco; Alma Oumarou, Minister of Commerce, Niger; Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce, Sri Lanka; Martin Hamilton-Smith, Minister for Investment and Trade, South Australia, and Gregory So, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Hong Kong.

NEW SUPPORT

Meanwhile, Saif Zone announced the introduction of a new cash payment option for its investors to settle their invoices through the UAE Exchange branches in the UAE.

“This initiative is in line with our goals for the year of 2015 to provide better and faster facilities and is one of the many other services that we are developing to achieve total efficiency,” said Al Mazrouei.

“This collaboration   will provide an added service to our investors for settlement of their payments  on a day-to-day basis with minimum effort and maximum savings in time,” said Muhannad Obaid Rashid Buafra,  finance director, Saif Zone.

 Varghese Mathew, country head, UAE Exchange, highlighted the convenience offered by the new option, saying it would bring value to its corporate customers in the hub. Payments will be integrated to the investors’ account with Saif Zone the following day. There will be a service charge for this facility. 

To avail themselves of the service, investors will have to do a one-time registration with UAE Exchange with their Saif Zone trade licence along with proof of the owner’s identity, after which they can use this service from UAE Exchange branches.