IASP at 3rd GASEZ conference

On 8th September, IASP Past President Herbert Chen (Tuspark, China) represented IASP at the 3rd GASEZ conference, held during the China International Fair for Trade in Services-CIFTIS.

IASP is a founding member of the Global Alliance for Special Economic Zones (GASEZ), gathering associations of SEZ, free trade zones, industrial parks, and science parks. At this event GASEZ, in collaboration with UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), reaffirmed its commitment to supporting such spaces as catalysts for sustainable development. 

“We aim for more SEZs to become sustainable economic zones,” said Ms. Nan Li Collins, UN Trade and Development’s Director of Investment and Enterprise, announcing the continuation and development of the GASEZ initiative of "SDG Model Zone Partners". 

Keynote speaker Mr. Elmar Mammadov, Special Adviser and Co-lead of COP29 Initiatives, presented the Baku Initiative for Climate Finance, Investment and Trade (BICFIT), highlighting SEZs' critical role in promoting climate finance, investment and trade.

The conference featured matchmaking sessions between Chinese companies and SEZs from the Caribbean, Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia.

Other GASEZ members are the Africa Economic Zones Organization (AEZO), Free Trade Zone Association of the Americas (Asociación de Zonas Francas de las Américas - AZFA), Green Partnership of Industrial Parks China (GPIPC), National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones (NAFTZ), FEMOZA - The World Free & Special Economic Zones Federation, and the World Free Zones Organization ("World FZO"​).