Omani–French Forum highlights expanding ties

PARIS: His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, accompanied by President Emmanuel Macron of the French Republic, graced the Omani-Franco Business Forum in Paris on Monday, held as part of His Majesty's official visit to the French Republic.
During the forum, His Majesty the Sultan commended the sustained growth and development of the economic and investment partnership between the two friendly nations across diverse sectors, reaffirming the importance of intensifying joint efforts to explore new investment opportunities that would lead to the establishment of promising collaborative ventures.
His Majesty said: “I am happy to be here in Paris. It has been a great day today. We have talked about so many things that concern Oman and France, and the rest of the world.”
His Majesty added “I am very delighted to be your guest with a beautiful gathering here, from both sides of Oman and France. What we have signed today are bigger than anything else we have done in the past couple of years.”
His Majesty expressed his appreciation for the remarks made by the French President during the meeting, in which he identified promising areas for cooperation. He affirmed that the French side's openness to strengthening its partnership with the Sultanate of Oman has been met with a warm welcome from both His Majesty and the accompanying delegation.
His Majesty emphasised that the Sultanate of Oman welcomes all French business partners and looks forward to a greater presence of Omani investments in the French Republic in the coming period. He expressed his confidence that the Omani investment team will be diligent in seizing investment opportunities wherever they may arise.
The forum was organised by the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) and the Business France, in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion and the Oman Investment Authority (OIA), with the aim of strengthening cooperative and partnership relations between the Sultanate of Oman and the French Republic.
The forum witnessed the signing of a number of agreements and memoranda of understanding, reflecting the growing economic and investment partnership between the two countries. These encompassed the fields of energy, industry, automotive, education, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, technology, aviation, space, renewable energy and the perfume industry.
In the space sector, Omani spaceport company 'Etlaq' signed an agreement with French firm 'Latitude' to collaborate on launching light rockets from the 'Etlaq' spaceport in the Sultanate of Oman, while MBsat inked a memorandum of understanding with 'Telespazio' to provide ground station operation solutions and satellite services.
In aviation, 'Ankaa Space and Technologies' signed an agreement with French company 'Thales' as the main contractor on the Omani side for the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), covering the supply, installation and operation of a new generation of air traffic control radar systems.
In transport, Al Hashar Group signed an agreement with French group 'Renault' to distribute Renault vehicles in Oman, while Mohsin Haider Darwish Group concluded a commercial agreement with 'Michelin' to supply tyres to the Omani market.
In energy and industry, the National Energy and Engineering Company signed an agreement with French group 'Sagemcom' to assemble smart electricity meters in Rusayl Industrial City. Al Fajar Al Alamia Company reached an agreement with 'Saint‑Gobain' to explore investment in the natural gypsum sector in the Sultanate of Oman.
The agreements also included a memorandum of understanding between Amouage Perfumes of Oman and French cosmetics L'Oréal, focused on luxury fragrance manufacturing, national talent development and expertise exchange in the sector.
In education and modern technologies, Ghubaira International signed a series of partnership agreements with French institutions and companies covering e‑learning, school development, cybersecurity certification and artificial intelligence and computer vision applications.
A 120‑megawatt wind power plant project was announced at the forum, with the contract signed in December 2025 through a partnership between Bahwan Group and France’s EDF Group.
A satellite development contract was also revealed between Oman’s Space Communication Technologies and Airbus Defence and Space, building on a previous agreement between the two sides.
Faisal bin Abdullah Al Rowas, Chairman of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) said the Royal care accorded to the private sector and the rapid economic growth under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik have cemented Oman’s position as a trusted economic partner and an attractive investment destination, while creating a conducive environment for strategic partnerships.
He noted that the presence of His Majesty the Sultan and the French President at the forum underscored the commitment to deepening economic cooperation and investment ties, reflecting ongoing support for private sector initiatives.
The agreements and memoranda of understanding signed at the forum translate this support into action, he said, reflecting mutual trust between business communities and opening broader horizons for quality partnerships in renewable energy, industry, technology, AI, aviation, space and services.
These partnerships will drive knowledge transfer, advanced technology and expertise exchange, foster innovation and attract quality investment, supporting economic diversification and boosting bilateral trade and investment in line with Oman Vision 2040, Al Rowas added.
The Chamber will continue to build bridges between business communities and provide platforms for partnerships that serve mutual interests and sustainable development, he said.
The forum’s outcomes reflect the depth of Omani‑French economic ties and open wider avenues for cooperation across sectors of shared interest, serving the aspirations of both countries.
The forum was attended by the official delegation accompanying His Majesty the Sultan, along with officials and French business leaders. - ONA