Author: OBFA

OBFA participated alongside a delegation from Oman in a conference with UK business officials at Bloomberg’s Headquarters in London on 6th July, with the aim of positioning Oman as a thriving hub for business, tourism, logistics, and global trade. The event, held in collaboration with esteemed partners including Bloomberg Media Group, OMRAN Group, ASyad Group, Oman airports, and Oman air, and participation from the Omani government, and UK prominent business officials. The event centered around highlighting the vast foreign direct investment prospects in Oman’s tourism and logistics sectors, thereby paving the way for the realization of Oman’s ambitious Vision 2040.

OBFA and the commercial attaché at the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in the United Kingdom, In cooperation with the University of West London, organised the Oman-Britain Business Conference in London.

The conference shed light on investment opportunities in the sultanate and introduced various sectors available for investment, to achieve economic diversification through the logistics, tourism, mining, food security and fisheries sectors.

Participating companies Omran, Asyad, Fish Development Oman, and Minerals Development Oman presented various incentives offered by Oman to investors, including the investor residency programme and related services.

Furthermore, a commercial registry was opened, granting an affiliation certificate, and licensing activity for the first time directly from the Omani Embassy in London.

Companies and individual investors will also be given an opportunity to open bank accounts directly from the embassy in London, and introduce the services of Credit Oman – Export Credit Agency – and the services and facilities it provides to individual and corporate investors.

The 6th annual Anglo-Omani Society delegation of the Anglo-Omani Society was held at the Intercontinental hotel in Muscat from 12^th to 15^th January 2018. 26 promising youth from the Sultanate and UK attended the delegation, whose topic was “Energy and Technology: an efficient future”. By holding such gatherings, The Anglo-Omani Society aims at strengthening the deep historical relationship between Oman and the UK and creating a solid platform for cultural and expertise exchange in all fields.

Sayyid Badr bin Hamed Al Busaidi, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, delivered a speech on his behalf by Ambassador Mohammed Awadh Al Hassan, Acting Under-Secretary of Diplomatic Affairs. In the speech, he expressed his gratitude to the exceptional relations between Oman and the UK, which go back to more than two centuries, and emphasised interlinking the foreign policy with sustainable energy.

Salim bin Nasser Al Aufi, Under-Secretary of oil and gas also gave a speech at the event titled “ Energy Efficiency and its Future Role in Oman”, followed by Hamish Cowell, UK’s ambassador to Oman, who spoke about the exemplary relationship between the two nations, and praised the rapid growth it witnesses in all fields.

The event, sponsored by BP Oman, included a number of lectures and discussions on various topics such as the Economic Potential of Renewables in Oman, the outlook of the energy industry, and was presented by a wide range of leaders and decision makers from a number of reputed technology and energy institutions in the Sultanate and Britain.

Shaikh Ma’an bin Hamad Al Rawahi, Chairman of the New Generation Group in Oman expressed his happiness with holding the event in Oman saying: “We are pleased to host this event in the Sultanate, and we are always looking forward through these meetings and forums to create opportunities for exchanging ideas and knowledge, and creating bridges of youth relations in the two countries. Since 2013, the Anglo-Omani Society was keen to hold a series of events, seminars and cultural events in different locations in Oman to achieve those aspirations and goals”.

Chairman of the New Generation Group in the UK, Oliver Blake, said: “The goal of the Society requires first and foremost the sustainability of the historical friendship between the two countries and transferring this friendship to future generations. These yearly meetings are an excellent opportunity to develop our relationship, exchange ideas and explore new fields of cooperation. I should thank BP Oman, our main sponsor of the event for their continuous support to such initiatives”.

Source: http://www.omanobserver.om/muscat-hosts-anglo-omani-society-meet/

On Friday 7 July a series of events were held in London which underlined the strength of the economic and business relationship between the UK and Oman.

An investor breakfast was organised by the Omani-British Business Council (OBBC) and the Omani British Friendship Association (OBFA). An audience of investors and major UK corporations heard from HE Talal Al Rahbi, Deputy Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Planning, about the Sultanate’s Tanfeedh programme for diversifying the economy.

Mr Ismail Al Balushi, COO of Duqm Special Economic Zone Authority (SEZAD), and Saleh Al Hasni, One Stop Shop Manager, then gave a comprehensive presentation on the ambitious plans for further developing Duqm. HE Maqbool Sultan, Chair of OBFA, spoke of the importance of the UK-Oman relationship and a lively discussion was moderated by Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, Chair of OBBC.

Gareth Stevens, the new Director of the Department for International Trade in the British Embassy, Muscat, attended, and said:

“This was a useful and informative event about the investment opportunities for UK companies in Duqm, and it helped enormously to outline and understand the long term plans SEZAD have for Duqm. The UK is keen to continue working closely on the development of this project and my team and I stand ready and willing to support any UK company who would either like to know more, or who would like to discuss any specific opportunities.”

Jon Wilks, Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman, played an active role in the discussions, and Lord Astor of Hever DL, the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Oman, was also delighted to attend and lend his support.

The investor breakfast was followed by afternoon tea at Buckingham Palace, hosted by HRH Duke of York, Patron of OBBC. HE Dr Ahmed Al Saidi, Minister of Health, represented the Sultanate of Oman at the event and attendees were drawn from OBFA, the corporate membership of the Anglo-Omani Society and the OBBC. HRH Duke of York spoke of the strong bond between the two countries.

The UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT) has overall responsibility for promoting UK trade across the world and attracting foreign investment to our economy. DIT is a specialised government body with responsibility for negotiating international trade policy, supporting business, as well as delivering an outward-looking trade diplomacy strategy.