Abu Dhabi Ports teams up with Israeli manufacturers' association to strengthen trade ties

Kizad and ZonesCorp will work closely with the Israeli industrial body as part of agreement

Abu Dhabi Port’s industrial and economic zones have a combined land area of 554 square kilometres. Khushnum Bhandari for The National

Abu Dhabi Ports has teamed up with the Manufacturers' Association of Israel (MAI) to boost bilateral trade, investment, technology and research and development initiatives.

Under the agreement, Abu Dhabi Ports subsidiaries Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi and ZonesCorp, which are under its Industrial Cities and Free Zone portfolio, will work closely with MAI.

“Abu Dhabi Ports is well-positioned to offer Israeli industrial manufacturers the best solutions for their businesses within Kizad and ZonesCorp,” Falah Mohamed Al Ahbabi, member of Abu Dhabi Executive Council and chairman of Abu Dhabi Ports, said.

“We look forward to engaging with our friends from Israel and welcoming them to experience our leading-edge services and facilities,” he added.

The UAE, which normalised relations with Israel in September this year, signed a number of pacts with the country in sectors ranging from aviation to finance. MAI, which is the representative body of Israel’s industrial sectors, including private and public entities, has over 2,000 member organisations and industrial plants. Its members are responsible for more than 95 per cent of the industrial production across Israel.

"This initial agreement is the start of the new trade relations," said Dr Ron Tomer, MAI’s president. "We plan to continue and promote cooperation … create new areas of trade that will open the economy, employment and society between the two nations, and beyond.”

Abu Dhabi Ports is part of ADQ, one of the region’s largest holding companies that owns stakes in entities spanning key sectors of the economy that include media, utilities, aviation and healthcare. It owns and manages 11 ports and terminals in the UAE and Guinea.

This is the first agreement it has signed with an Israeli trade organisation since the ratification of the peace agreement.

"Kizad and ZonesCorp offer the Israeli industry a unique opportunity to scale their businesses exponentially in a cost-effective, timely, clearly defined and efficient manner," said Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, group chief executive of Abu Dhabi Ports.

The Kizad and ZonesCorp act as catalysts for businesses by opening the door to more than 100 markets through the UAE’s free trade and bilateral agreements for Israeli manufacturers, he added.

“We are committed to providing the means necessary for businesses to reach markets faster, more efficiently and at low cost.”

Kizad is the largest industrial hub for integrated trade and logistics in the region, offering investors a highly efficient base for their trading, manufacturing units, export operations and related activities, Abu Dhabi Ports said.

ZonesCorp is the largest operator of purpose-built economic zones in the UAE, providing investors with a world-class, tax-free, platform that encourages growth.