The Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZ) has signed an agreement with Etisalat as part of an initiative aimed at delivering enhanced telecom & ICT services for tenants at the Freezone with direct access to Etisalat services on a priority basis.

The agreement will benefit more than 1,450 companies currently operating at the Freezone employing more than 12,000 people.

DAFZ will work closely with Etisalat to create value for customers and bring all the benefits of enhanced ICT services for its tenants thereby making the Freezone a better place for international companies to do business, a statement said.

As part of this agreement, Etisalat will establish a dedicated presence within DAFZ to facilitate Etisalat services and support for tenants at the Freezone.

The move will help Etisalat to better understand the ICT requirements of tenants and serve these requirements in a more tailored manner, enabling high productivity for businesses with the Freezone many of whom are global companies with international branches.

These businesses require high quality telecom and other ICT services to interact with their offices abroad and with their international trading partners, according to the statement.

“This agreement with Etisalat is in line with our objective of delivering a world class infrastructure for companies who want to be based in Dubai,” said Dr Mohammed Al Zarouni, director general, DAFZ.

“This partnership will further augment the Freezone's reputation as the premier provider of business services for a diverse range of international customers who rely on us to create the most attractive investment opportunities for their business,” he added.

Abdulla Al Mana, GM, Etisalat Dubai, said: “Our partnership with DAFZ is a significant milestone and will pave the way for delivery of world class communication services to the Freezone.”

“Our intention is to work very closely with Dubai Airport Freezone to understand their needs and help them achieve their business objectives by enhancing their ICT infrastructure, improving operational efficiency, boosting productivity and optimizing costs through a partnership based approach,” he added.

Mohammed Al Hashimi, executive director, corporate services, DAFZ, said: “We, at DAFZ, persistently strive in providing quality services to our tenants by utilising all resources available to facilitate a convenient business environment.”

“Some of these services are provided via our strategic partners such as Etisalat. The availability of latest telecommunication technologies and the reliability of the service provider is a vital element to the continuity of any business, and Etisalat are relentlessly working toward achieving this demand. This partnership will indeed assist us in attaining our desired objective to serve our customers in the best possible way.”

Abdulla Hashim, senior VP, business solutions, Etisalat, said: “Our partnership agreement with DAFZ is part of our long term strategy aimed at developing a closer relationship with our SMB customers located within specific business zones across the country and to deliver the best in telecom and ICT services to enhance customer satisfaction.”

“The SMB sector is a vital focus area for Etisalat and we are enhancing our ICT offerings for the sector to help companies achieve higher productivity and operational efficiencies. This latest initiative will also bring more synergies in terms of ICT services & joint marketing activities with DAFZ,” Hashim concluded. – TradeArabia News Service