Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) continues to deepen its global engagement as it welcomed over a hundred delegates from across international markets in the first quarter of the year, reflecting growing interest in Ras Al Khaimah as a destination for business expansion and collaboration.

As businesses increasingly seek resilient, well-connected markets to support their growth strategies, cross-border engagement has become a key driver of long-term partnerships. In this context, RAKEZ has emerged as an active platform for dialogue, bringing together representatives from consulates, embassies, and business organisations to explore opportunities within Ras Al Khaimah’s evolving economic landscape.

The visiting delegations, representing countries including Azerbaijan, Hong Kong, Spain, Guatemala, and Russia, were introduced to RAKEZ’s integrated ecosystem through a series of site visits across its industrial zones, gaining firsthand exposure to the emirate’s industrial infrastructure and operational capabilities.

These engagements enabled discussions around investment and collaboration opportunities across key sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare, reflecting the growing alignment between global business priorities and the opportunities emerging from Ras Al Khaimah.

This momentum builds on RAKEZ’s continued efforts to strengthen international ties, having hosted a growing number of delegations in recent years, further reinforcing its role as a trusted point of connection for global stakeholders seeking access to regional and international markets.

Commenting on the visits, RAKEZ Group CEO Ramy Jallad said, “Welcoming international delegations to Ras Al Khaimah reflects the growing confidence in the emirate’s business environment and investment potential. These engagements create meaningful dialogue and lay the foundation for long-term partnerships. At RAKEZ, we continue to provide a platform where global stakeholders can explore opportunities, connect with the right ecosystem, and move forward with clarity and confidence.”

As global business dynamics continue to evolve, RAKEZ remains committed to facilitating impactful engagement with international partners, supporting businesses in identifying opportunities, building connections, and advancing their expansion plans from Ras Al Khaimah.

The Ras Al Khaimah Prison Program has been recognized in a case study published by UNESCO’s Institute for Lifelong Learning, positioning the program as a regional leader in prison education practices. The feature, which forms part of Ras Al Khaimah’s educational efforts as one of UNESCO’s Global Network of Learning Cities, highlights the program’s role in advancing inclusive education within correctional settings since its launch in 2011.

Implemented by the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research in collaboration with the Ras Al Khaimah Correctional Facility, the program provides inmates and correctional officers with access to learning resources and activities that support their educational and psychosocial needs. Central to the initiative is a multipurpose prison library with more than 9,000 titles, alongside spaces for self‑reading and group activities, and a private room for psychological counselling and therapy sessions. The library also hosts a reading book club and periodic communal activities that support engagement and personal development. The program also provides educational courses for inmates on a vast range of topics including literacy in both Arabic and English, small business and office management skills, ICT, art, mental health first aid and life skills.

The UNESCO feature places these initiatives within Ras Al Khaimah’s wider shift toward rehabilitative, learning-centered correctional practices.

“In Ras Al Khaimah, we believe every member of our community has the right to learn, grow, and improve themselves, regardless of their circumstances,” said Dr. Natasha Ridge, Executive Director of the Al Qasimi Foundation. “The prison program creates learning opportunities that are practical, purposeful, and responsive to the realities people face during and after incarceration.”

Participation figures cited in the case study are drawn from data provided by the Foundation. According to the UNESCO feature, nearly 25% of the inmate population has accessed the prison library since its launch, with inmates and correctional officers adjusting their daily routines to use the space. The case study also notes that more than 1,000 inmates have participated in at least one educational course and references survey feedback reporting a renewed sense of hope and a clearer pathway to reintegration among participants. The feature also references the lasting impact on the rehabilitation and personal growth of inmates.

Since joining UNESCO’s Global Network of Learning Cities in 2022, Ras Al Khaimah has documented lifelong learning initiatives across formal, non‑formal, and informal settings, including correctional institutions. Within this framework, prison education is presented as part of the Emirate’s broader commitment to inclusive education, human rights, and equitable access to learning, contributing to Ras Al Khaimah’s broader vision of making high-quality learning opportunities available to all members of the community.

The full UNESCO case study is available here.