SCZONE holds a meeting with EBRD to draw the implementation line of the 2nd phase of cooperation

SCZONE Deputy: We aim to completely digitize services for logistics and industrial activities

Dr. Ibrahim Abdel Khalek, Deputy of the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) for Investment and Promotion, met with members of the committee responsible for implementing the second phase of cooperation with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). This phase aims to re-engineer and fully digitize investor services to develop an efficient, competitive, and environmentally friendly business environment that is attractive to international investors. This phase will include re-engineering more than 60 services, including pre-establishment services, land allocation services, human resources services, work permits for foreigners, post-privatization services, dispute resolution services, sub-services related to project approval, environmental approval services, and company registration services. The meeting was attended by Major General Alaa Abdel Karim, Advisor to the Chairman of the Authority for Tax and Customs Affairs, a number of officials responsible for the one-stop service in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, and members of the Technical Committee from both sides.

“SCZONE pays great attention to the digitization process to include all services provided by the zone, and all industrial and logistical activities, to reduce the time required for all services and facilitate the customer experience of the zone in its various activities. It is necessary to ensure that all services are linked to each other to provide competitive and simplified procedures commensurate with the size of the facilities that SCZONE provides to investors, as the zone has a special customs system and a special tax system that makes it a distinctive investment destination. Full digitization of all services is the cornerstone to providing an attractive work environment that integrates with the rest of the other elements that have been worked on in the past period.” Dr. Ibrahim Abdel Khalek declared

“The main objectives of this phase come after building on the first phase of cooperation. It includes re-engineering targeted services to enhance the performance of service support systems within SCZONE, implementing service reforms by knowing the current situation, evaluating services by analyzing steps and fees, and knowing the opinions of service customers. In addition to building the capacity of the Investors Service Center staff through training programs according to the needs resulting from the evaluation process.” Said Mr. Sherif Fawzy, Legal Expert and Team Leader in Service Reengineering

At the end of the meeting, which included an exchange of technical visions between the teams responsible for implementing the second phase of cooperation, the committee inspected the Investors Service Center, through which a one-stop service is provided to get acquainted with the services provided closely and to consult on implementation priorities in accordance with the agreed time plan.