The Oman-Switzerland Friendship Association (OSFA), established in 2016, has started planning for its 2nd Business Forum to be held in Muscat in the second half of the year.
It follows the first Oman Switzerland Business Forum, which took place in Bern, Switzerland, in April 2019 and brought together more than 100 businesspeople from both the countries.
“The OSFA, which held its first board meeting of 2022 in Muscat last month, looked back at several successful webinars last year and also decided on new activities to further stimulate exchanges between the two countries in the sectors of tourism, logistics & industry, youth & sports and several others as the Corona pandemic wanes,” Dr Anka Kästner, the first woman on OSFA board, who traveled to Muscat to attend the meeting, told the Observer.
Dr Anka used her two-week stay in the Sultanate of Oman as a ‘workation, a trend that has intensified during the pandemic with compulsory home office.
“The Sultanate of Oman, with its perfect digital infrastructure and beautiful nature, is an excellent place to pursue one’s commitments during the working week and explore the country and its people in the evenings or weekends,” she says.
Dr Anka solicited potential new OSFA members and discovered new offers developing all over the country. She was the guest of honour at the Winter Holiday Festival in Al Naseem Park in Al Hamra addressing the children on stage.
At the event, Dr Anka mentioned the spirit of entrepreneurship, creativity and passion that brings the Sultanate of Oman forward and is common to both countries. She also met the founder and owner, Dr Mosab Al Hinai, and had him explain the various activities of the company.
During her meeting with Jasmin Nutt, Managing Director of Al Maamari Travels and Tours, new ideas emerged for exciting webinars that highlight and impart knowledge on the many commonalities that unite the two countries.
Dr Anka has been a member of the OSFA since 2018. Its aim is to strengthen bilateral relations between Switzerland and the Sultanate of Oman and deepen mutual exchanges to unlock the potential for economic cooperation and promote understanding between the two peoples.
Hani al Zubair is chairman of the association, Luca Decarli is vice-chairman, Mohammed Al Kharusi is treasurer and Sayyid Abdulla bin Hamed Al Busaidy is patron of the association.
Khalid Said al Wahaibi, Lateef Shahdad and Said Saif al Maskery are the other board members. The present board was elected in April 2021 for a three-year term.
The OSFA and the Omani Embassy in Bern as well as the Swiss Embassy in Muscat also work hand in hand to facilitate investments, open doors for joint projects and bring the two countries closer together.
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