First came Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City and Dubai Knowledge Village. Now the creator of those successful Dubai business clusters is planning a similar centre in Malta, which could potentially create 5,600 jobs.

SmartCity Malta is intended to provide a focal point for information and communications technology (ICT) and media business activity, and become a high technology centre for the Mediterranean region. The first building will be open in the second quarter of 2010, said SmartCity Malta chief executive Fareed Abdulrahman.

“Recruiters must bethere,” Abdulrahman told Recruiter during a visit to London last week. He said he expected many jobs at the 360,000m2 SmartCity Malta development to be filled by expats from outside Malta.

The complex will be located on the Maltese coast between the Grand Harbour of the capital, Valletta, and Ricasoli Point. It will offer a blend of office, residential and retail space. One third of the area will be set aside as open space.

TECOM Investments created the three Dubai business clusters. Its partner in SmartCity Malta is international real estate developer Sama Dubai. They are further partnering with Malta’s government to realise the multi-faceted project, which is estimated to involve a $300m (£208m) investment into the country.

Abdulrahman said that the current economic downswing in Dubai had not affected the popularity of the existing business clusters there. “For the past four years we have had waiting lists [to get space in the centres] in Dubai, and we still have them,” he said.