Officials from the sprawling Duqm Port and special economic zone are inviting the Qatari business community to explore the various investment opportunities in the Sultanate of Oman.
This was announced during a trade and investment workshop hosted on Wednesday by Qatar Chamber, which highlighted the infrastructure of the region, the various project components, such as Duqm Port, dry dock, airport, Duqm Refinery, and oil storage station. It also focused on the investment climate in the region and the incentives, benefits, and facilities obtained by investors.
The workshop was attended by Qatar Chamber first vice chairman, Mohamed bin Towar al-Kuwari; commercial director at Duqm, Erwin Mortelmans, and director of business support, Hesham al-Ebrahim.
In a presentation, Mortelmans said Duqm Port is the largest economic project in Oman, noting that it has several industrial, tourism, logistics, and real estate developments, as well as a multi-purpose port, airport, dry dock for ship repair, fishing port, and fish industries.
He said the port provides a number of facilities and incentives, including 100% foreign ownership and tax exemption of up to 30 years renewable for a similar period. It also provides ease in facilitating customs visa for expats. He also called on investors and representatives of Qatari companies to explore investment opportunities in the port.
Mortelmans underscored Duqm’s strategic location and proximity to Asian and African markets, as well as Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) markets, qualifying it as an economic and investment hub in the region.
For his part, al-Kuwari said “Qatar and Oman enjoy excellent relations,” noting that the port of Duqm is located in a special and strategic location in the region. He said it is situated along the Strait of Hormuz in the middle of the Indian Ocean, and is an ideal destination for a number of neighbouring markets.
“There are many Qatari private sector investments at the port and there is a tendency for Qatari business owners to identify the various investment opportunities in the port and at the economic zone in Duqm,” al-Kuwari said.
He also stressed the chamber’s support for the building of trade partnerships and economic alliances between businessmen of both countries. He said this encourages Qatari business owners to co-operate with their counterparts in the Sultanate of Oman and establish trade partnerships and explore opportunities, especially in the port of Duqm.
