High-level French biz team visits Duqm SEZ

Yahya bin Saeed al Jabri, Chairman of the Special Economic Zone Authority at Duqm (SEZAD), received a 21-member, high-level delegation representing leading French public and private sector organisations. The mission was headed by French Ambassador to Oman, Renaud Salins.
The visit marks the culmination of talks held last February resulting in the establishment of a Business Syndicate of French companies that included four major French investors and technology providers, to explore investment opportunities in Duqm.
At a reception held on board a visiting French ship docked at the Port of Duqm, the French firm Colas SA, which specialises in the construction and maintenance of road, air, rail and maritime transportation infrastructure, was formally added to the original Business Syndicate launched last February.
Represented on the delegation were high level officials from CMA CGM, EDF Renewables, FIVES, SUEZ and Colas. They were here at the invitation of the SEZAD to finalise a cooperation agreement designed to achieve the common economic and commercial interests of the two sides.
Ambassador Renaud Salins expressed his pleasure to visit the Duqm SEZ and voiced optimism that France’s presence in the SEZ would be enhanced in the wake of the planned formation of a French Business Syndicate comprising prominent French companies. French-Oman relations, going back three centuries, would be further nurtured with the formal establishment of this Syndicate, he noted. French companies, he further added, would help the Sultanate in its training, education and job creation efforts.
The French Business Syndicate has been established with the goal of assessing various investment possibilities in each of their respective field of activity as well as the possibility to cooperate to bring higher value-propositions within the guidelines defined by the SEZAD and Ithraa (the Public Authority for Investment Promotion & Export Development).
In particular, the French Syndicate showed interest in a global approach to cement factory ecosystems and related facilities (transportation ecosystem facilities, solar power generation plant, production of alternative fuel). As part of their joint offer, the members also proposed to implement an educational programme to enhance the integration of Omani young generations in the projects they will be entrusted with.
The French Business Syndicate is composed by five renowned global French groups: CMA CGM, EDF Renewables, FIVES, SUEZ and Colas Group. They have extensive experience in accompanying the economic and industrial development of countries all around the world by bringing excellence and operational performance.