The Planning and Development Department - Trakhees, the regulatory arm of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation in Dubai, achieved a remarkable achievement by achieving remarkable growth during the first quarter of 2023, represented by the issuing 423 licenses in special development areas through the Licensing Department of Trakhees department, with a growth rate of 26% compared to the same period in 2022.

In order to achieve positive growth rates in the commercial licensing sectors in its special development areas, H.E. Engineer Abdulla Belhoul, CEO of the Planning and Development Department - Trakhees, confirmed that the department has implemented a number of initiatives since the start of 2023. He cited the tireless efforts made by the Licensing Department team for the benefit of starting businesses from individuals and companies through facilitation packages that help establish a new approach to entrepreneurship based on adopting the PCFC vision of strengthening Dubai's position as a leading sustainable centre to support the economic sector at the global level.

Belhoul pointed out the Trakhees’s keenness to implement the vision of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, aiming at making Dubai a preferred global destination for investment. He added: “Through promoting the process of economic growth by adopting a culture of excellence in performance to ensure the happiness and satisfaction of customers, the Trakhees Department seeks to develop and expand services for the benefit of individuals and companies, and to consolidate the unique position that Dubai occupies in the field of business”.

The statistics issued by the Planning and Development Department - Trakhees indicated that more than 12 thousand transactions were completed during the first quarter of this year, with a growth rate of 11% compared to the same period last year. About 8,000 transactions had been processed to obtain government services of during the first three months of 2023, with a growth rate of 9% compared to the same period during the past year, as the Occupational Health Card service ranked the first with a rate of 3314 transactions, followed by the service of issuing a New Employment Visa in Dubai at a rate of 1796 transactions, as well as the service of Visa Renewal with 689 transactions.

In terms of Federal Law License services provided by "Trakhees" department to its customers, the demand for these services increased by 6% to reach 4076 transactions during the first three months of 2023, as the Federal License Renew License service ranked the first with 1580 transactions, followed by the Federal License Modify License service with 717 transactions.

Belhoul explained: "In all, the International City ranked first in the list of sites obtaining Federal Law licenses with 151 licenses, then the Palm Jumeirah came in second place, then Jumeirah Village Circle, followed by the Dragon Mart."

The CEO of Trakhees explained that the Department is keen to support and accelerate the pace of business by providing the required services regarding projects and small and medium enterprises to support the national economy and maintain Dubai as an attractive destination for investors, especially in free zones and private development zones that are under the supervision of the department, pointing to the arrival of the total private transactions In the free zones, there were 862 transactions during the first quarter of this year, with a growth rate of 61% compared to the same period last year.

The reports indicated that more than 181 new Trade Names in Free Zones were reserved during the first quarter of 2023 in the special development zones that fall under the supervision of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, with a growth rate of 82% compared to the same period last year.

Belhoul added that the "Trakhees" department aspires to strengthen the leading position occupied by the Emirate of Dubai as a preferred destination for doing business as it is a distinguished home for a large and steadily increasing number of international companies and international groups, stressing that the Corporation continues, with the efforts of work teams and in cooperation with various partners, its journey to improve and develop the level of services It offers such as the issuance of commercial licenses and the issuance of work permits, and other incentive elements and facilities that ensure keeping pace with the aspirations of entrepreneurs and business investors in the Emirate.