UN platform opens doors for Omani suppliers

MUSCAT: The Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), organised yesterday a workshop titled “From Local Market to Global Market: Empowering Suppliers in the Sultanate of Oman via the United Nations Platform” at the Chamber’s headquarters in Muscat.
The event was attended by Zakaria bin Abdullah al Saadi, CEO of OCCI, Dr Thaer Yaseen, FAO Representative in Oman, a number of business owners, representatives from government and private institutions and international experts from FAO. Several Omani companies and suppliers also participated to explore opportunities for expanding their presence in international markets and engaging in global procurement systems.
Zakaria al Saadi, CEO of OCCI, said the initiative reflects the Chamber’s ongoing efforts to empower the Omani private sector and enhance its participation in international markets through partnerships with global organisations.
He noted that cooperation with FAO contributes to transferring expertise and building the capacity of local companies to compete globally, aligning with Oman Vision 2040 and the Chamber’s strategic goal of improving the business environment and fostering economic diversification.
For his part, Dr Thaer Yaseen, FAO Representative in Oman, described the workshop as a milestone in FAO–OCCI collaboration.
He noted that the UN procurement system exceeds $25 billion annually across more than 220 countries and territories, offering vast opportunities for suppliers worldwide.
Despite the competitiveness of Omani companies, he said their participation in UN procurement remains limited at around 0.06 per cent of total registered suppliers.
The session, he added, provided a platform to enhance the readiness of Omani suppliers to register and compete effectively in international tenders.
The session also introduced Omani companies to the United Nations Global Marketplace (UNGM) — the central procurement portal connecting over 30 UN organisations with suppliers worldwide. The platform hosts more than 490,000 registered vendors from over 190 countries, including 313 suppliers from Oman.
It provides access to a transparent, competitive and sustainable global market where over 95% of vendors are micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and around 86% are based in developing countries.
Oman, ranked 50th globally on the Human Development Index, is recognised among the highly developed nations contributing to this growing global supplier network.
The workshop featured technical presentations outlining practical steps for Omani companies to become registered suppliers within the UNGM.
Experts from FAO explained the organisation’s procurement mechanisms — including RFQ, ITB, RFP and REOI processes — and detailed the technical (70%) and financial (30%) evaluation criteria used in tender assessments.
Presenters also highlighted the importance of preparing transparent proposals and adopting sustainable sourcing practices aligned with UN standards.
During the session, Saeed Ibrahim, Procurement and Supply Chain Officer at FAO Oman, presented FAO’s key initiatives in Oman, including the camel cheese value-chain project in Dhofar Governorate, which supports women’s entrepreneurship, as well as programmes to enhance apiculture, improve poultry production and develop vegetable seed systems and fruit tree nurseries.
He also highlighted FAO’s efforts in fisheries co-management and World Food Day activities, which address global challenges such as climate change and food security.