The National US-Arab Chamber of Commerce (NUSACC) recently hosted an Expert Roundtable dedicated to the Special Economic Zone Authority of Duqm (Sezad), a 2,000-sq km port along the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean in Oman.

The standing-room-only event attracted more than 30 US companies in such sectors as logistics, oil and gas, tourism, construction and engineering, architecture and design, transportation, and security, said a statement.

A high-level delegation from Oman, led by Yahya Said Al Jabri, chairman of Sezad, made presentations about “big ticket” opportunities in Duqm, it said.

The Embassy of Oman was represented by Hunaina Al Mughairy, Oman’s Ambassador to the US, with welcoming remarks offered by the Honorable David Short, deputy assistant secretary of Transportation for Aviation & International Affairs.  
Moderators included Dr John Brennan, a worldwide public sector senior manager at Amazon Web Services (AWS), as well as Rabih Mogharbel, NUSACC’s vice president for business development.

The Lead Sponsor for the Roundtable was Virginia Beach DigiPorts, the exclusive North American developer for NxtVn, a Platinum Plus member of NUSACC.

Oman’s strategic location at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East provides access to over three billion potential consumers in some of the fastest growing markets in the world. This strategic positioning is enhanced by Oman’s Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US, signed in 2006, one of only four such FTAs in the Arab world.

Under the leadership of HM Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said, Oman has made numerous strategic investments that distinguish the sultanate as an important regional player. With the advent of Duqm and plans for a GCC Rail system, which will serve the Gulf and beyond, Oman is now taking that strategic vision to the next level to become a truly global.

Deputy assistant secretary David Short, in his welcoming remarks, recognised Oman’s move to the world stage. “The quality infrastructure projects at Duqm,” he noted, “represent a long term investment by the Oman Government to serve as major global maritime trade players far into the future.”

He highlighted the excellent relationship that the US enjoys with the sultanate, built on ties that stretch back to 1833 with the signing of the Treaty of Amity and Commerce, one of America’s first commercial treaties with any nation.

Short went on to say that Duqm “supports economic development and diversification, and a successful Oman increases the likelihood of regional stability.” He then introduced Yahya Al Jabri, chairman of Sezad.

In his opening remarks, Al Jabri thanked NUSACC for its longstanding efforts to help introduce the Duqm project to the US business community.

He noted: “We are grateful to NUSACC for its continuous efforts in promoting, supporting, and strengthening US - Arab business and economic cooperation.”

“Today’s gathering is a real opportunity for me and my team to showcase the exceptional business environment at Duqm. This Roundtable provides a valuable venue for longstanding business relationships, mutual friendships, and numerous platforms around economy and trade,” Al Jabri added.

In a nutshell, Al Jabri said, Duqm offers state-of-the-art infrastructure services, a business friendly environment, and a commercial entry point to Oman and beyond.” The Special Economic Zone at Duqm is considered the largest of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa and one of the biggest in the world.

Al Jabri highlighted Oman’s efforts to expand and diversify its economic base in recent decades through successive Development Plans revolving around infrastructure projects in roads, water, electricity, ports, and airports.

The country’s political and economic stability, he said, offers vital incentives and motivation for global investors, representing the cornerstone of Oman’s vision to attract global businesses. These include but are not limited to the Special Economic Zone at Duqm, as well as Oman’s Free Zones in Salalah and Sohar and the country’s Industrial Estates (manufacturing bases) in close proximity to the Sultanate’s seaports and airports, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service