DAFZA and Export Bahrain sign cooperation agreement

Dubai Airport Freezone Authority (DAFZA) has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Export Bahrain. The signing establishes frameworks for bilateral technical collaboration to support their joint efforts in institutional development, facilitating business activities, supporting companies and their plans for growth and expansion and exchanging information and expertise.

The cooperation agreement was signed by Amna Lootah, Assistant Director General of DAFZA, and Safa Abdulkhaliq, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Export Bahrain. The agreement seeks to encourage the two countries’ companies to expand and develop joint trade relations, in addition to enhancing bilateral cooperation in the fields of innovation and entrepreneurship, exchanging expertise and best practices, and facilitating access to technologies, markets and business networks.

The agreement grants Export Bahrain access to the global companies that set up headquarters in Dubai Airport Freezone in order to support Bahraini exporters according to a framework established by the agreement. It will grant DAFZA access to the companies supported by Export Bahrain in order to work towards improving the companies’ relations with their counterparts in DAFZA and exchange information, services, and offers. In addition, the two sides will cooperate to organize activities, workshops, seminars, and conferences to support establishing relations between companies, in addition to cooperating in research and development and other relevant fields.

Amna Lootah, Assistant Director General of DAFZA, said: “This agreement is a new and special addition to the relations between the UAE and Bahrain, and underlines the commitment of DAFZA and Export Bahrain to provide local and international companies supported by the two sides with quality services. It facilitates for the companies a network of relations and partnerships, helping them to expand in target markets, and access the largest possible client and consumer base. This agreement is also the cornerstone of a strategic cooperation that benefits both sides and their short and long-term goals. It serves as a starting point for an active cooperation that strengthens the offers provided by DAFZA and Export Bahrain, particularly during the next stage which will witness recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on economic sectors.”

On her part, Ms. Safa Sharif Abdulkhaliq , Export Bahrain Acting Chief Executive, stated: “The signing of this MoU with DAFZA comes within our strategic plans to continue creating a network of strong relationships with key regional and international partners, with the aim of advancing SME operations by providing them access to additional facilitation and potential growth opportunities. The Memorandum permits SME exporters based in Bahrain to capitalise on the supportive facilities offered by DAFZA, such as its business-friendly environment, world-class infrastructure, tax exemptions and more, in order to meet their regional and global exporting aspirations. Additionally, this step provides a framework that will allow both sides to implement an integrated practice for enabling companies in each party’s jurisdiction to expand and grow their businesses in the region and beyond. We look forward to build on this Memorandum to achieve further accomplishments and successes for both parties.”

This agreement is one in a series penned by DAFZA recently, all of which seek to expand the free zone’s network of partners around the world and its portfolio of services. The agreements showcase as the added value and benefits provided to customers, thereby bolstering the reputation of DAFZA as having one of the most advanced, flexible, and active business environments in the region and the world. Export Bahrain continues its efforts to support non-oil exports by expanding its business development services, by providing a package of high-quality services and solutions to help companies reach foreign markets and to help develop and diversify Bahraini products.