Minister of Investment Thanks the Leadership for the Cabinet's Approval of the Special Economic Zones Regulations

His Excellency the Minister of Investment and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority, Eng. Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih, expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and to His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister (may God protect them), on the occasion of the Cabinet's decision approving the regulations for the special economic zones in Jazan, Cloud Computing and Informatics, King Abdullah Economic City, and Ras Al-Khair. This step strengthens the competitiveness of these zones and supports their position as promising investment destinations within the national economy. Eng. Al-Falih stressed that approving the special economic zones regulations, which will come into force at the beginning of April 2026, is a fundamental step in developing the regulatory framework of these zones. It confirms the Kingdom's commitment to strengthening its investment competitiveness at both the regional and international levels, and its drive to build a competitive and attractive investment environment that helps attract high-quality investments and strengthens the role of special economic zones as key engines of growth and economic diversification, by enabling promising sectors to grow sustainably and contribute to achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. His Excellency explained that the regulations are part of an integrated regulatory system based on clear mandates and complementary roles among the relevant entities, which helps speed up licensing procedures, unify regulatory pathways, and enable the competent authorities to carry out their duties efficiently and flexibly within the special economic zones. Minister Al-Falih noted that, in addition to the regulatory aspects, the regulations include a package of distinctive incentives and benefits that increase the attractiveness of these zones. The most prominent of these include tax and customs exemptions and incentives, simplified operating procedures, flexible ownership ratios, and Saudization frameworks suited to the nature of the economic activities in the special economic zones, as well as allowing multiple languages for trade names and exempting investments in these zones from certain provisions of the Companies Law.