DAFZA’S performance in first half of 2021 strong

DUBAI: The Dubai Airport Freezone Authority (DAFZA) has announced the results of its operational performance for the first half of 2021. The free zone achieved growth in new sales revenues with an increase of 8.3%, which resulted from the rise of 24% in the leased areas compared to the same period last year. These record results are an extension of the strategic plan set by DAFZA at the beginning of 2021, which aims to target the recovering markets ater liting the restrictions on global trade movement in a post-pandemic environment.

In addition, the results show an increase in demand for the logistic units and leasing by more than double when compared to 2020.

The figures confirm the excellence of integrated services DAFZA provides to its partners and its strategic location next to Dubai International Airport, enabling reach to local, regional, and international markets.

DAFZA achieved strong results by launching a set of economic incentives and packages to atract new investors. This led to an increase in the number of registered companies by 88.4% compared to the same period in 2020. DAFZA maintained its position as a preferred destination for multinational companies and succeeded under the current circumstances in increasing the number of registrations for those companies by 23.5%.

DAFZA also supported small and mediumsized companies by providing advanced solutions that create opportunities for commercial and service expansion in the region. This falls in line with the direction of the UAE government and the emirate of Dubai to support this sector and enhance its economic contribution. As a result, DAFZA recorded an increase in the number of small and medium companies by 96.4 % compared to the same period last year.

DAFZA’S total trade reached more than $39 billion in the first quarter of 2021, with an increase of 4.7% compared to the same period in 2020. The free zone also achieved a trade surplus of 2.44 billion dirhams. As a result, DAFZA’S contribution to Dubai’s trade accounted for 11% during the first quarter of 2021, in which it maintained the same level in the first quarter of 2020.

In terms of goods, the group of machinery, television, and electrical equipment and pearls, semi-precious stones, and metals accounted for 94% of DAFZA’S trade. The first group achieved high growth of 32.4% in the first quarter of 2021, where the value of the group’s imports amounted to 14.1 billion dirhams and the importance of exports 15.7 billion dirhams.

China was DAFZA’S biggest trade partner, which accounted for 31% of the free zone’s trade in the first quarter of this year. It witnessed a high growth of 56.4% compared to the same period, and its imports amounted to 64%.