The Invest in Oman Hall launched at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion (MoCIIP) on Monday, is designed to, on the one hand, ensure a speedy and hassle-free investment journey for the local or foreign investment, and on the other, open up the Sultanate of Oman to the wider world as an investment destination of choice.
According to Pankaj Khimji, Advisor for Foreign Trade and International Cooperation at the Ministry, the overall concept and design of the new lounge takes investment facilitation in Oman to a new level.
“We looked at it from the point of view of what it takes to make investment journey fulfilling, happy and conducive to the goal of attracting investment into the country,” said Khimji. “After all, the Hall represents the first (port of call) for the investor when he comes into the country. It is here that he will have his first interactions with government agencies; therefore the Hall needs to reflect the welcoming nature, hospitality and culture of the country. Indeed, going by the expression — the first impression is always a very lasting impression —we decided to create a lounge that reinforces the message that Oman means business when it comes to investments,” he stated.
Speaking to journalists soon after the inauguration of the lounge, Khimji said the Invest in Oman Hall marks the starts of the investor’s journey in Oman. It is designed and equipped to fulfill the requirements and expectations of the investors.
This approach to investment facilitation, the Advisor noted, will be recognised and appreciated as Oman’s brand as an investment destination. This effort is being reinforced through Oman’s embassies and marketing representatives of MoCIIP posted in key nations overseas – a network that is proposed to be expanded progressively, he said.
“We want to make sure that Invest in Oman hall becomes a single point of entry for any investor coming into Oman, and we already have a plan in place to achieve this. We are networking with all our embassies with the aid of virtual communication theme on a regular basis. We also need to work with legal firms, chartered, audit and consulting firms, because they are the first who really provide consultancy, advisory and guidance to investors when they come into the country. So we need to address them first, saying: “Look, we are here to serve and we are here to look after you.”
According to Abbas Arshad al Lawati, CEO – Invest in Oman Hall, the presence of key government agencies, utilities, and other private sector organisations playing a supporting role, is designed to overall ensure the fast-tracking of applications submitted by an investor.
“We also assign a relationship manager to every investor based on the sector targeted by the investor, the size of his investment, and so on. The relationship manager is the interface between the investor and the government and other entities represented in the Hall. The Manager’s primary task is to facilitate and resolve the investor’s issues.
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