Faisal bin Abdullah Al-Rawas, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), received a commercial delegation from the United States of America, with the aim of strengthening economic and trade relations between the two friendly countries, and discussing opportunities for cooperation and joint investment, to serve mutual interests and support the trends of economic diversification, at the Chamber’s headquarters in Muscat.

During the meeting, they discussed the prospects for expanding partnerships between the private sector in Oman and the U.S., and exploring investment opportunities in a number of economic sectors. These include: the manufacturing sector, environmental services, cybersecurity, oil and gas technology, manufacturing and distribution of alloys, data analysis, semiconductors, food and agricultural products, and artificial intelligence applications.

The Chairman of the OCCI Board of Directors stressed that the Chamber attaches great importance to strengthening economic partnerships with the U.S., based on the depth of historical relations between the two friendly countries, and the real opportunities it offers to expand cooperation in the private sector. It also opens new horizons for joint investment in strategic sectors, benefiting from the framework of the Free Trade Agreement between Oman and the U.S., which contributes to encouraging bilateral investments.

Faisal bin Abdullah Al-Rawas explained that the Chamber is working to strengthen trade and economic relations with the U.S. by conducting and receiving mutual trade delegations, organising economic forums and meetings, and benefiting from the role of the Omani Commercial Office in the U.S. in linking the Omani business community with its American counterparts and facilitating direct communication as well as building partnerships.

He noted that this meeting represents an important opportunity to enhance communication among business owners and explore opportunities for cooperation in the fields of industrialization, technology and innovation, in line with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040 aimed at diversifying sources of income and enhancing the role of the private sector in sustainable economic development.

For his part, Saud bin Ahmed Al-Nahari, a member of the Board of Directors of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: the U.S. trade delegation is the first delegation run by the Omani Commercial Office in the United States of America to the Sultanate of Oman after its establishment last year, targeting two vital sectors: food security and agro-industries, in addition to the advanced technical sectors, semiconductors and cybersecurity.

He stressed that bilateral meetings between Omani companies and their American counterparts constitute an important step in strengthening economic and trade relations between the two friendly countries, and opening new prospects for cooperation in various investment fields.

He recognised that the American market is one of the largest and most important global markets, which gives Omani companies promising opportunities to expand and enter into international partnerships, pointing out the importance of participating in specialised industrial exhibitions and conferences that bring American companies together on one platform to enhance cooperation and exchange experiences.

Amy Han, Director of the Omani Commercial Office in the United States of America, said that trade relations between Oman and the U.S. are witnessing continuous growth, explaining that the Omani Commercial Office is a major platform to support this cooperation and enhance communication between the business community in both countries.

She added that the Office contributes to facilitating investment opportunities and the exchange of commercial information and economic opportunities, and also works to link Omani companies with their American counterparts to open direct channels of cooperation and partnership in various economic sectors. Amy Han stressed that conducting trade delegations and organising economic meetings and bilateral forums is an essential part of the Office’s role, which enhances the ability of Omani institutions to enter new markets, transfer expertise and modern technologies, and open the horizons of strategic partnerships that support sustainable economic growth.

Jeff Zimmerman, Agricultural counsellor at the Office of Agricultural Affairs at the U.S. Consulate General, said that bilateral relations between the Sultanate of Oman and the United States are witnessing a growing development, supported by the free trade agreement signed between the two countries, which contributed to strengthening trade exchange and opening up broader prospects for economic cooperation.

He explained that the Omani market enjoys attractive elements and promising investment opportunities in a number of sectors, making it a suitable destination for business owners and investors wishing to expand their investments and build long-term partnerships.

The meeting included roundtable discussions between employers in the sectors of advanced technology and food security.

The advanced technology sector meeting was chaired by Engineer Ibrahim bin Abdullah Al-Hosani, Member of the OCCI’s Board of Directors and Chairman of the Committee on Digital Economy and Artificial Intelligence.

The meeting discussed opportunities for cooperation and investment in the fields of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, semiconductors, data analysis, and advanced technologies, in addition to discussing ways to transfer knowledge and building strategic partnerships between Omani and American companies, to support innovation and digital transformation.

The food security meeting was chaired by Eng. Saleh bin Mohammed Al-Shanfari, Chairman of the Food Security Committee of the Chamber. During the meeting they discussed enhancing cooperation in the fields of: food security, agro-industries, food products, modern technologies in agriculture, exploring joint investment opportunities, and building partnerships that contribute to supporting supply chains and achieving food sustainability.

The discussions also included bilateral meetings between business owners from Oman and their counterparts from the U.S., during which direct cooperation opportunities were reviewed, as well as the possibilities of establishing strategic partnerships and exchanging experiences, contributing to supporting the business environment and enhancing the flow of investments and the transfer of knowledge and modern technologies.