Muscat: The private sector in Oman has welcomed the expected visit of Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to the Sultanate of Oman.
In statements to Oman News Agency (ONA), a number of businessmen and businesswomen expressed the aspiration that this visit would open new inroads of economic cooperation and commercial partnership, provide more incentives that lead to increased trade exchange and enable the two sides to enter into joint investment partnerships. Eng. Redha Juma Al Saleh, Chairman of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), told ONA that Oman and the UAE zoom ahead, jointly and with clear vision, for the realization of more success in expanding investment and commercial exchange.
The two countries add new incentives every day to help forge new economic partnerships, he said. He pointed out that, in 2021, Omani exports to the UAE stood at more than RO 1.3 billion, with imports from the UAE crossing RO 4.2 billion, Al Saleh explained.
Al Saleh said that Oman is home to UAE investment worth RO 1 billion and 207 million, constituting more than 42% of non-Omani investments. The UAE investments are shared by 3,071 companies operating in the commercial, construction, industry, real estate, service and transport sectors, said. On her turn, Lujaina Mohsin Haider Darwish, State Council Member and CEO of Mohsin Haider Darwish Group, said that Oman and the UAE have many things in common. The two countries enjoy common cultural, political and economic relations that stem from their geographic bordering, in addition to bonds of language, religion, good neighborliness and affinity.
Lujaina observed that these ties undergo constant growth, thanks to the directives of their two leaderships-His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Shaikh Ghanim Tahir Al Bat'hari, Board Chairman of Al Baraka Oil Services and Sakan Facility Management Company, said that the visit reflects the depth of official and popular relations. He added that the private sector in Oman welcomes the visit of Sayyid Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed and is confident that the visit would bring about many benefits to the two peoples.
Mustafa Ahmed Salman, CEO of United Securities, said that the visit of Shaikh Mohamed bin Zayed to Oman will augment the volume of commercial exchange and will boost existing joint investment projects. Areej Mohsin Haider Darwish, Chairperson of Automotive, Construction Equipment and Renewable Energy Group, said that the UAE business community is considered a basic commercial partner of its Omani counterpart.
"We look forward to increase investment opportunities and incentives that will propel bilateral cooperation into wider horizons,” she added. Areej affirmed that the visit of Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed constitutes a rich resource for establishing strategic partnerships that will meet the aspirations of both peoples.
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