*Qatar's Minister of Commerce and Industry HE Ali bin Ahmed al-Kuwari and Oman’s General Authority for Investment Promotion and Export Development president Yahia bin Saeed al-Jabri will also open the Qatar-Oman Business Forum
Two top Qatari and Omani officials will lead on Monday’s (December 3) opening ceremony of the ‘Made in Qatar’ 2018, a four-day event being held at the Oman Conference & Exhibition Centre in Muscat, according to private sector leader Qatar Chamber.
On the sidelines of the exhibition Qatar's Minister of Commerce and Industry HE Ali bin Ahmed al-Kuwari and Oman’s General Authority for Investment Promotion and Export Development president Yahia bin Saeed al-Jabri will also open the Qatar-Oman Business Forum.
More than 200 businessmen are expected to attend the forum, which carries the theme ‘Industry Development...Strategic Choice’. According to Qatar Chamber, the forum will review the available investment and business opportunities in both countries.
“The forum offers a good opportunity for both sides to review a range of investment opportunities, and will discuss means of increasing joint investments and trade between both countries, as well as encouraging businessmen to establish projects that serve both economies,” Qatar Chamber said.
The chamber said the ‘Made in Qatar’ Oman edition will feature Qatar’s industry through five sectors: food and beverages (F&B), furniture, petrochemicals, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and various industries, as well as home-made industries.
This year’s edition is the seventh exhibition since Qatar Chamber organised it in 2009, and the second ‘Made in Qatar’ held outside the country. The exhibition aims to promote Qatar’s industry and support the country’s efforts towards industrial development.
“The exhibition aims to promote the industry and Qatari products locally and globally, encourage the use of Qatari products and reduce dependence on imports, encourage investors and entrepreneurs to invest in industrial projects, and support the state’s approach to public-private partnerships, besides opening up new foreign markets to Qatari companies and pushing the industry, especially SMEs,” Qatar Chamber said.
Trade volume figures released by Qatar Chamber show the “remarkable progress and development” in Oman-Qatar relations. The chamber said Oman’s imports from Qatar increased 48% from OR86mn in 2016 to OR128mn in 2017. On the other hand, Oman’s exports to Qatar rose from OR93mn in 2016 to OR549mn in 2017.
“Joint investments between Qatar and Oman have achieved considerable development in the past few years thanks to efforts exerted by competent bodies, chambers of commerce, as well as businessmen and investor initiatives.
“In fact, there are 152 joint investments with capital of OR116mn, including Qatari investments in Oman worth OR77mn. These investments included trade, construction, services, real estate, industry, transport, mining, health, finance, electricity, and water,” Qatar Chamber said.
