MUSCAT: The first executive plan for Vision Oman 2040 (the tenth five-year plan 2021-2025) has approved several strategic programmes that embody the concept of economic diplomacy, including the programme ‘Increasing the Contribution of Foreign Trade in Economic Activity,’ which aims to activate the role of embassies and commercial representation offices in marketing for the Sultanate of Oman and attracting investments.

Maitha bint Saif al Mahrouqi, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the Federal Republic of Germany, explained that the visit of Dr Robert Habek, Deputy Chancellor and Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany, and the accompanying trade delegation, comes according to the plan of the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in Berlin and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to learn about the available investment opportunities in various targeted economic sectors in Vision Oman 2040, expressing her hope that such visits would result in signing agreements and contracts that would stimulate the Omani economy.

She said in a statement to the Omani News Agency (ONA) that the visit of the official and the accompanying trade delegation aims to seek new markets and enter into special trade partnerships in the sectors of renewable energy, gas, logistics, and food security.

Maitha bint Saif al Mahrouqi, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the Federal Republic of Germany

She pointed out that most of the topics discussed during the meeting with Omani officials revolved around the investment climate in the Sultanate of Oman and the provided incentives, as well as the search for new markets for gas and the possibility of importing Omani gas in larger quantities, especially with the gas crisis and its rising prices in Europe in general and Germany in particular, due to the Russian-Ukrainian situation. She also mentioned that a German company signed an agreement two months ago with the Oman LNG to supply gas to Germany.

She emphasized that the role of the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in Berlin is to build bridges of communication between all sectors and provide Omani and German investors with all the information related to investment and available investment opportunities in both countries. She confirmed that she has noticed an increase in the number of Omani investors and Omani companies going to Germany in recent times to participate in conferences and exhibitions.

Regarding the tourism sector, Maitha bint Saif al Mahrouqi explained that the Sultanate of Oman will be the official partner of the largest travel and tourism exhibition in the world in Berlin for this year 2024, scheduled to be held in early March, with an expected participation of 64 companies representing the travel and tourism sector in the Sultanate of Oman. — ONA