About ECZA

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About
ECZA

Saudi Arabia’s Economic Regulator Cities and Special Economic Zones’ Umbrella

The Economic Cities and Special Zones (ECZA) is the enabler and the umbrella regulator of Saudi Arabia’s Economic Cities (ECs) and Special Economic Zones (SEZs). ECZA was originally formed in 2010 to oversee the development of ECs.

In 2019, ECZA’s mandate was expanded to include the supervision of SEZs and the creation of the right regulatory environment to attract businesses. We are launching SEZs to capitalize on Saudi Arabia’s potential as a global business hub. They will play a major role in achieving Saudi Arabia’s economic development goals under Vision 2030.

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Our vision

To be the umbrella regulator and trusted national reference for Economic Cities and Special Economic Zones with global standards.

Our mission

To raise the Kingdom’s global competitiveness through the launch and enablement of an ECs and SEZs ecosystem that provides:

An investor-friendly regulatory environment, competitive sector-specific incentives and enablers.

Highly-efficient integrated government services.

An inspiring living experience with global quality of life standards.

ECZA
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Our values

Pioneership

Responsibility

Credibility

Partnership

Customer Centricity

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Our value proposition

Strategic Alignment and Strategic Interoperability Integration

Aligning with national strategies and ensuring strategic integration and coordination among ECs and SEZs.

Integration and Interoperability with base economy

Ensuring strategic and interoperability of SEZs and ECs with the base economy for local market protection.

Regulatory environment, exemptions, and incentives

Supporting SEZs in assessing and obtaining appropriate exemptions and incentive packages and developing an optimal regulatory environment for investors.

Integrated Government Services

Supporting and providing efficient, integrated government services to ensure sustainability and ease of doing business.

Assessment of strategic performance

Applying standard and unified mechanisms for evaluating of and licensing SEZs, and monitoring their strategic performance.

Vocal point for receiving all SEZs applications

Apply standardized comprehensive methodology to raise to the Council of Minister for approval

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Our Economic Cities
ecosystem governance model

As the umbrella regulator, ECZA creates the perfect regulatory framework and facilitates the Master Developer to build and operate the ECs. We form an integrated partnership with the Master Developer, providing efficient integrated government services, and assist with investment attraction activities.

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Our Special Economic Zones
ecosystem model

As the enabler and umbrella regulator, ECZA creates the regulatory framework and facilitates the Relevant Entity to build and operate the SEZs.

We serve our ambitious mandate via six ecosystem components:
  • Strategies, SEZ evaluation and licensing
  • Incentives and exemptions
  • Framework and guidance
  • Regulations
  • Interoperability
  • Performance management
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How we achieve
our goals

ECZA’s strategy rests on three key pillars:

01

Enable ECs and SEZs and unlock their competitiveness.

02

Streamline the oversight role in ECs and track the strategic performance of SEZs ecosystem.

03

Build a distinct and sustainable organization.

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We are aligned
with Vision 2030
on every front

Vision 2030 aims to position Saudi Arabia as an investment powerhouse at the crossroads of three continents, and ECZA is contributing to Saudi Arabia’s vision on multiple levels.

ECZA plays an active role in achieving Vision 2030 goals by:

 

Attracting foreign investments

 

Enhancing and supporting innovation and entrepreneurship

 

Upgrading the quality of services offered in Saudi cities

 

Supporting ease of doing business

 

Establishing logistics centers and enhancing their performance

 

Developing and diversifying leisure opportunities to meet the needs of residents

 

Fostering economic relations with international partners

 

Improving the local, regional, and global linkages of trade and transport networks

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"Establishing Special Zones and rehabilitating Economic Cities." Vision 2030’s strategic objective 3.1.7.

ECZA also contributes to many of the Vision Realization Programs (VRPs) directly to:

  • National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP)
    • 8 SEZs established by 2025 is one of NIDLP’s KPIs

And indirectly to:

  • Quality of Life Program
  • Housing Program
  • Public Investment Fund Program
  • Fiscal Sustainability Program
  • Doyof Al Rahman Program
  • Privatization Program
  • Human Capability Development Program
  • National Transformation Program

Successful SEZs are crucial to many of Saudi Arabia’s national strategies:

  • The National SEZs strategy
  • The National Investment Strategy
  • The National Industrial Strategy
  • The National Transportation and Logistics Strategy
  • GCC States Economic Agreement

Additional National Strategies which ECZA contributes to:

  • National Exports Strategy
  • National Localization Strategy
  • Premium Residency Center Strategy
  • Madinah Region Strategy
  • National Statistical Development Strategy

Our Products

Our two unique products:

  • Special Economic Zones - A Special Economic Zone is a geographically delimited area that facilitates specific economic activities by providing competitive advantages and legislative frameworks that differ from the base economy, while complying with the Kingdom’s obligations under international treaties.

  • Economic Cities - ECs are full fledge cities that are funded, developed and operated by the private sector under government oversight and enablement. ECs offer various and comprehensive businesses (Industrial & Services), residential and entertainment solutions with elevated standards.

Our Partners

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