His Excellency Eng. Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih, Minister of Investment and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority (ECZA), expressed his profound gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and to His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, following the Cabinet’s approval of the regulatory frameworks for the Special Economic Zones covering Jazan, Cloud Computing, King Abdullah Economic City, and Ras Al-Khair. This step significantly enhances their competitiveness and strengthens their position as key investment destinations in Saudi Arabia.

The Minister noted that the approval of the regulatory frameworks, which will come into effect at the beginning of April 2026, marks a significant milestone in the development of the regulatory environment governing the Special Economic Zones. It underscores the Kingdom’s commitment to enhancing its investment competitiveness both regionally and internationally, and its focus on building an attractive business environment that attracts strategic investments. The frameworks further affirm the role of Special Economic Zones as key engines for growth and economic diversification, empowering promising sectors to achieve sustainability and contribute to the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

He explained that the regulations are part of an integrated regulatory system, built on clear mandates and coordinated roles among relevant entities. This system is designed to accelerate licensing processes, unify regulatory pathways, and enable relevant authorities to carry out their responsibilities efficiently and flexibly within the Special Economic Zones.

His Excellency also highlighted that, alongside the regulatory provisions, the frameworks include a package of targeted incentives and advantages designed to maximize the attractiveness of these zones for investors. These include tax and customs exemptions and incentives, simplified operational processes, flexible ownership, supportive Saudization frameworks tailored to the nature of economic activities within the Special Economic Zones, the ability to use multiple languages for trade names, and exemptions for investments in these zones from certain provisions of the Companies Law in Saudi Arabia.