Egypt’s Suez Canal Economic Zone ranks seventh globally in free zone awards
Egypt’s Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) ranked seventh worldwide in fDi Intelligence’s 2026 Global Free Zones of the Year awards, making it the highest-ranked African zone in the global top 10 and strengthening its profile as an investment destination.
The zone was also named Africa’s best industrial zone, according to fDi Intelligence, a Financial Times-owned publication.
The awards were published “amidst an ever-changing global landscape for global trade and the world economy,” fDi Intelligence said in its report on 15 Oct. They assess free zones’ investment appeal and performance as companies respond to trade uncertainty and supply-chain disruptions.
The SCZONE authority attributed the recognition to Egypt’s economic reform program and political stability, along with efforts to attract international investment, develop targeted industries and create jobs.
“This marks the culmination of Egypt’s efforts and provides further evidence of the success of its economic reform programme and political stability, as well as the effectiveness of promotional efforts and implementation of SCZONE’s strategy to attract global investment, localise industry in targeted sectors, and create jobs for young Egyptians,” the authority said in a statement on Monday.
Free Zones Draw Interest amid Supply-Chain Disruption
Instability in global trade and supply-chain disruptions have made free trade zones increasingly attractive to international companies, particularly those focused on manufacturing and logistics, fDi Intelligence said.
Data from fDi Markets showed that 76 per cent of capital investment plans into free zones in 2025 targeted manufacturing, logistics, distribution and transportation activities.
The 2026 awards’ industrial-zone category covers zones where most tenants manufacture goods or provide logistics services. The assessment considered infrastructure, incentives, tenant support, investment wins, and strategies for responding to geopolitical uncertainty and trade barriers.
Strategic Location and Adaptability
Established in its current form in 2015, SCZONE comprises four industrial areas, with activities spanning data centres, logistics, textiles and food.
“The judging panel praised SCZONE’s ability to adapt to the geopolitically volatile environment of 2026, which emphasised Egypt’s diplomatic efforts in the ongoing Iran conflict and the zone’s own strategic location at one of the most critical channels for global shipping,” fDi Intelligence said.
How the Zones Were Assessed
fDi Intelligence invited investment promotion agencies, free-zone operators and government entities to submit details of their zones’ facilities, investment appeal, growth and strategy. It received 79 submissions worldwide.
A panel of internal and external judges scored submissions against 10 questions covering infrastructure, sustainability, incentives, governance, and new investments.
The global top 10 ranking was based on four measures: changes in occupied space, employee numbers, and tenant numbers between 2024 and 2025, alongside judges’ scores.
Separately, 53 industrial zones were assessed for the industrial-zone awards, with winners and highly commended zones recognised globally and across five geographic regions.
fDi Intelligence is the Financial Times’ specialist publication and data division covering foreign direct investment, cross-border business and economic development.