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His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum approved a strategy to establish the Global Centre for Research and Technology for Economic Zones that will operate under the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority, the Dubai Media Office announced on October 25. The centre seeks to position Dubai as a leader in shaping economic zones worldwide through the creation of knowledge, policies and operational standards that help these areas draw high-value foreign direct investment while raising the contribution of economic activities. It also aims to broaden trade links and accelerate the movement of knowledge and technology in ways that lift UAE competitiveness and foster international collaboration on sustainable expansion.
The initiative will support data-driven decisions backed by research and fresh analysis while working to align classifications across zones and introduce shared benchmarks along with sophisticated operating frameworks, according to the announcement from the Dubai Media Office. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum serves as chairman of the authority, which already oversees an integrated network of economic zones that have helped establish the emirate as a major commercial and innovation base. The centre’s activities will rest on six guiding values that include independence, credibility, integrity, excellence, innovation and collaborative leadership.
In a statement carried by the Dubai Media Office, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said, “Guided by the forward-looking vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Dubai continues to strengthen an integrated economic model built on trust, innovation, openness and global partnerships, turning expertise and knowledge into opportunities for growth and development. The Global Centre for Research and Technology for Economic Zones builds on this vision, marking a strategic step in enhancing Dubai’s contribution to shaping the future of these zones and elevating their role as key drivers of investment, trade, innovation and economic growth.” The chairman added that Dubai has succeeded in building an advanced system of economic zones that combine integrated infrastructure with flexible regulations, specialised services and direct global market access.
The new centre will draw on that experience to extend benefits internationally by creating an institutional platform for cooperation among governments, zone operators, international bodies, academic institutions and specialists, the Dubai Media Office reported. Its work is expected to produce specialised studies, forecast economic and technological shifts, prepare policy research and develop innovative models and solutions that improve performance measurement and investment evaluation. The announcement ties the project directly to wider efforts that position economic zones as engines for broader advancement.
Official details of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, released by the government, set a target of lifting foreign direct investment from an annual average of AED 32 billion in the prior decade to AED 60 billion a year through 2033 for a cumulative total of AED 650 billion. The agenda also calls for foreign trade to rise from AED 14.2 trillion to AED 25.6 trillion over the coming ten years while private-sector investment climbs to AED 1 trillion, according to the UAE government portal. These goals underline the importance of strengthened research and policy tools that the new centre is designed to supply.
Six main fields will receive priority at the centre, ranging from targeted research and studies to the creation of international reference classifications and comparative benchmarks that allow governments and investors to assess opportunities more accurately, the statement from the Dubai Media Office indicated. The authority expects the centre to function as a global knowledge repository that improves the measurable economic contribution of zones everywhere while promoting consistency in standards and practices. This step forms part of ongoing moves to reinforce Dubai’s standing in international trade, investment and innovation networks.
