Tuesday 21 / July / 2026
Al Mazunah: Al Mazunah Free Zone on Tuesday held a coordination meeting with representatives of import and export companies operating in the Yemeni market, attended by Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef, Chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ). The meeting highlighted the zone's services and facilitations and reviewed a proposed open market initiative.
Discussions also covered challenges and opportunities for boosting trade and investment flows between Oman and Yemen.
Al Yousef stressed the importance of the meeting in strengthening private sector partnership and addressing investor needs linked to the Yemeni market, to enhance the business environment and the zone's competitiveness.
Eng. Ahmed bin Khamis Al Kasbi, Director General of the zone, said its strategic location near the Yemeni border makes it an ideal logistics and trade platform for import‑export companies. The meeting aimed to encourage companies to establish a permanent presence in the zone, offering additional competitive advantages.
The zone has proposed an open market or permanent exhibition initiative, allocating space for participating companies to consolidate, display and re‑export products to Yemen and other markets. The six‑month pilot phase will allow for evaluation and refinement based on investor feedback. The meeting reviewed proposed incentives and heard company representatives outline key challenges and proposals for improving logistics and procedures. Both sides stressed the need for continued government‑private sector coordination to overcome challenges and boost trade and investment.
The meeting is part of efforts to enhance the zone's attractiveness, develop initiatives leveraging its strategic location, and consolidate its role as a regional hub for trade and logistics serving regional markets, particularly Yemen.
Managed by the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (Madayn), Al Mazunah Free Zone serves as the Gulf gateway for transit trade to Yemen and East Africa. It offers tax exemptions for up to 30 years, customs duty exemptions, 100 percent foreign ownership, and exemption from minimum capital requirements under Oman’s company law.
