Special Economic Regions of the Arab Union
The Arab Union consists of three Special Economic Regions, which unlike the 20 Arab republics and the two federal cities (Baghdad, the capital city, and Cairo), are not subject to socialist economic policy and instead operate under a Western-style free-market economy, allowing private enterprise and relatively relaxed government regulations on business and industry. The Special Economic Regions consist of highly industrialised and urbanised areas of the union, which exist officially to foster economic growth alongside the wider socialist project of the federal government. The Special Economic Regions are governed separately from the Arab republics, with localised government with devolved power from Baghdad. The three Special Economic Regions are: