Geneva: Oman at 16th Ministerial Conference of UNCTAD

Geneva: Oman at UN Trade and Development Conference

22 October 2025

The Sultanate of Oman participated in the 16th Ministerial Conference of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), currently being held in Geneva, Switzerland, under the theme “Shaping the Future: Advancing Economic Transformation for Fair, Inclusive and Sustainable Development.”

Oman’s delegation was headed by Qais Alyousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, with the participation of Ambassador Idris Alkhanjari, Oman’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva, along with officials from the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion and the Foreign Ministry.

Geneva: Oman at 16th Ministerial Conference of UNCTAD

The Ministerial Conference is UNCTAD’s highest decision-making body and is held every four years, with wide participation from heads of state and government, ministers of trade and economy, heads of international organisations, and representatives of the private sector and civil society.

The Conference is discussing key economic issues affecting developing and least developed countries, and its outcomes will serve as a roadmap for the organisation’s work over the next four years.

Qais Alyousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, said that the convening of the Conference comes at a critical stage of global economic transformation, requiring stronger multilateral cooperation and greater use of trade, investment, and technology as pillars of inclusive and sustainable development.

In his address, the Minister said that Oman Vision 2040 represents the national framework guiding Oman’s economic and social development path. He noted that Oman continues to implement its programmes to diversify the national economy and expand the production base by investing in promising sectors such as industry, logistics, renewable energy, and the digital economy.

The Minister stressed the importance of ensuring that the outcomes of the Conference support developing and middle-income countries through fairer and more flexible financing programmes and technical assistance that enhance their ability to achieve sustainable development. He also expressed Oman’s aspiration to strengthen its cooperation with UNCTAD in areas such as capacity-building, support for innovation and entrepreneurship, and the development of trade and investment policies.

Ambassador Idris Alkhanjari said that the Conference, taking place amid current global economic challenges, provides an opportunity to intensify international efforts and strengthen multilateral cooperation to address shared crises in a spirit of solidarity and responsibility, ensuring fair and sustainable development for all.

Geneva: Oman at 16th Ministerial Conference of UNCTAD

On the sidelines of the Conference, Qais Alyousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, held a series of meetings with the Secretary-General of UNCTAD, the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, the Director-General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and the President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa. The meetings discussed ways to enhance technical cooperation with Oman.

The Minister also met with his counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Türkiye, Vietnam, and Bhutan to discuss areas of mutual cooperation and how to strengthen economic partnerships.