What is the World Free Zones Organization: What Oman's new membership means for its future

TL;DR:

• OPAZ (Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones) of Oman has officially joined the World Free Zones Organization ( World FZO ).
  
  
• Membership gives Oman access to global best practices, enhanced marketing channels, and peer networks spanning 1,600 zones in 140+ countries.
  
  
• Oman currently oversees 23 operational free and economic zones that have attracted nearly RO 21 billion (~US $54.5 billion) in investment by end of 2024 under Vision 2040.
  

On July 30, 2025, Oman’s OPAZ formally joined the World Free Zones Organization (World FZO), a global consortium of over 1,600 special economic zones, ports, and industrial hubs in more than 140 countries. The move is designed to boost Oman’s global profile, operational expertise, and investment appeal in line with its Vision 2040 economic diversification agenda.

What Membership Means for Oman

• Access to Global Best Practices

Joining World FZO enables OPAZ to engage with leading international peers to exchange knowledge, adopt innovative management approaches, and benchmark performance.

• Sharpened Investment Promotion

The collaboration helps refine promotional strategies and marketing tools to attract high-value, sustainable foreign direct investment.

Oman’s Free Zones by the Numbers

• 23 zones currently managed by OPAZ, including major hubs such as Sohar Free Zone, Salalah Free Zone, Duqm Special Economic Zone, and Al-Mazunah Free Zone.
  
  
• As of end-2024, these zones attracted cumulative investments totalling around RO 21 billion (≈ US $54.5 billion), as per Arab News.
  
  
  
• In H1 2023, investments already stood at US $43.16 billion, driven by Sohar, Salalah, and Duqm projects, indicating accelerating investor confidence.
  
  

Alignment With Vision 2040
OPAZ’s World FZO membership aligns with Oman’s Vision 2040, which prioritizes economic diversification across logistics, manufacturing, maritime, mining, innovation, and tourism sectors.

Free zones play a pivotal role in this model, offering investors stimuli like tax exemptions, full ownership rights, and streamlined customs, making them critical to attracting tech, industrial, and export-oriented businesses.

Strategic Benefits at a Glance

• Global exposure & networking: Strengthened institutional links with zones worldwide.
  
  
• Operational excellence: Access to benchmarking, certification programs, and performance metrics.
  
  
• Investor targeting: Improved branding and attraction of higher-value, strategic projects aligned with Oman's diversification roadmap.
  

Oman’s accession to the World Free Zones Organization marks a pivotal step in cementing its position as a competitive global investment destination. With 23 strategic zones primed for growth and nearly US $55 billion in cumulative investment, this membership enhances OPAZ’s capacity to attract, manage, and retain high-impact foreign direct investments.

As Oman continues implementing Vision 2040, World FZO membership will deepen institutional capabilities, unlock international best practices, and elevate its economic zones on the world stage, solidifying the Sultanate’s role in sustainable, diversified development.

What is the World Free Zones Organization?
The World Free Zones Organization (World FZO) is a global, non-profit association headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, established in 2014. It serves as the world’s leading body representing free zones, special economic zones, and similar regulatory frameworks around the globe.

Here’s what makes it important:

Core Mission

The World FZO aims to enhance the global competitiveness and sustainability of free zones by:

• Promoting knowledge sharing and best practices.
  
  
• Facilitating collaboration among member zones.
  
  
• Providing tools, certifications, and training for better governance, compliance, and operations.
  
  
• Supporting the creation of investment-friendly regulatory environments.
  
  

Global Reach

• Represents over 1,600 free zones across more than 140 countries.
  
  
• Engages with governments, development agencies, private sector players, and academic institutions.
  
  
• Provides a neutral, credible platform to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing modern economic zones.
  
  

Key Services

• SAFE Framework: A global set of standards for transparency and compliance in free zones.
  
  
• Free Zone of the Future Program: Focuses on digital transformation, sustainability, and innovation.
  
  
• Annual Conferences & Forums: Brings together global thought leaders, investors, and policymakers.
  

The World FZO acts as a bridge between global investors, policymakers, and economic zones, helping them align with international best practices. For countries like Oman, it serves as a springboard to integrate into global trade ecosystems and attract more diversified, sustainable foreign investment.