The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Investment, Mubarak Al-Fadil Al-Mahdi, met Sunday, at his office the head of the World Free Zones Organization (World FZO), Dr. Samir Hamdouni and the accompanying delegation in the presence of Dr. Hashim Hussein, head of the Investment and Technology Office in UNIDO Bahrain.
The minister was informed on the goals, programs and plans of the organization that have started activities in 2014 as an initiative from the Government of Dubai and includes three thousand free zones and six million companies contribute to the international trade and the membership of 75 countries.
Dr. Samir Hamdouni said that Sudan is one of the first countries to join the organization, adding that they work to provide technical support, expertise and consultation in the area of free zones, as well as attracting investments and creating partnerships within the free zones.
On his part, Dr. Hashim Hussein pointed out that UNIDO has a joint project with the Free Zones Organization to implemented in Sudan, and aims to link financial institutions, and universities in the free zones to contribute to the development of the industrial sector in terms of the infrastructure and technology as well as the initiative of future free zones, that works for the sustainable development in targeted countries.
the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of investment, has welcomed cooperation with the World Organization of Free Zones, pointing out to the Sudan characterized geographical location, variety of products, and a continental road that is qualified to linking continent parts and crossing points, and to increase trade and export in Africa and neighboring countries in particular.
He indicated the need to legalize and develop trade and export systems to contribute to the development of the national economy in light of existence of the open markets, referring to the need for the experiences and the application of the globally successful experiments to put these advantages in the right framework.
The Investment Minister has called on the UNIDO to contribute in the establishment of an investment map, and to provide a data base for the Sudan's agricultural products that are used in the medical drugs, and pledged the (World FZO) to establish headquarter for the organization in Sudan for the service of the states of the African continent.

Source:SUNA