Kuala Lumpur is the eighth most visited city globally, with tourists flocking to attractions such as the Petronas Twin Towers. However, concerns over the city's inadequate transport networks are frequently voiced, something local officials are rectifying with a series of new projects.

Malaysia's minister of international trade and industry, Mustapa bin Mohamed, tells Barbara Njau that Kuala Lumpur's role has been and remains integral to Malaysia's rise as a global trade hub.

With the opening of a nearby residential development, complete with a whole host of leisure facilities, Special Economic Zone Alabuga is hoping to strengthen its appeal to foreign investors.

While much of the oil and gas activity in Malaysia takes place away from Kuala Lumpur, the city has established itself as a global leader in energy terms, with foreign energy firms increasingly coming to the capital to establish a south-eastern Asian base.

In less than 10 years, Special Economic Zone Alabuga has developed from being just 'a field and a masterplan', into a zone attracting dozens of businesses from around the world. Now, it is looking to its next phase of growth, with ambitions to have 120 companies and $12bn invested by 2020.

Over the past two decades, Malaysia has established itself as one of the world's leading low-cost electrical component manufacturers. However, thanks to academic institutions such as Kuala Lumpur's Mimos ICT centre of innovation, the country is looking to rise up the value chain in this sector.

Special Economic Zone Alabuga has identified the biggest problems that investors in Russia usually face – namely, access to infrastructure and ease of trade across borders – and made sure that residents in the zone do not have to struggle at the hands of these issues.

Incentives – in the form of tax breaks, training and other business services assistance – are a large part of what attracts companies to SEZ Alabuga. While such benefits look hugely attractive to prospective investors, Michal Kaczmarski reports on the impact they have for those that take up residence in the zone.

Located in the republic of Tatarstan, Special Economic Zone Alabuga sits alongside cities that have a lot to offer investors in terms of infrastructure, development, leisure and culture.