The Dubai Airport Free Zone Authority (DAFZA) has announced that the number of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Electronics companies working within its complex grew by 17 per cent during the 3rd quarter of this year. The statistics showed that 28 per cent of its registered companies belong to the ICT and Electronics sectors.

The latest statistics revealed that 34 per cent of the ICT and Electronics companies based in the freezone are multinational companies. The positive figures reflect the high trust placed by multinational companies in Dubais business and investment environment. They also affirm the leading position DAFZA enjoys as a preferred destination for foreign investments attributed to its strategic location, highly developed infrastructure, smart services, and smooth investment mechanisms which drive economic growth.

The optimistic results provide further momentum to DAFZAs efforts to attract leading ICT companies through its participation in GITEX Technology Week 2015, the latest edition of the regions most important ICT exhibition currently being held under the theme The Internet: Future of Everything. DAFZAs portfolio of smart services and applications especially SMART Investor, SMART Employee, and SMART Operations among others are being commended by decision makers and high officials from government as well as major ICT companies for acting as the backbone in the provision of an integrated environment which meets the needs of employees, clients, visitors and investors.

Buthaina Bin Fahad, Senior Director of Information and Communication Technology Department, DAFZA, said: The growth in the number of ICT and Electronics companies working in DAFZA complements our achievements towards our smart transformation. We envision the freezone becoming a smart city model capable of providing advanced solutions and high-level services for 21st-Century needs. The growth of our technology base is primarily attributed to key improvements we have been making since the last year, particularly the setting up of a wireless network service which has made DAFZA one of the first free zones in the region to provide free Wi-Fi to clients and employees."

We are glad with the high demand for our platform during the 35th GITEX Technology Week. Based on the positive reaction to our portfolio of smart services, we are confident that we will be able to attract more leading regional and international ICT and Electronics companies. We are committed to helping them benefit from DAFZAs competitive environment, creative services, and highly developed infrastructure. We pledge to continue working intensively towards the adoption of the latest smart technologies to achieve total customer satisfaction in line with Dubai Government strategic plan and supporting the initiative of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai a smart city. concluded Bin Fahad.