Muscat: The Special Economic Zone Authority of Duqm (Sezad) highlighted the investment opportunities available in Duqm to the business community in Washington through several meetings with American companies and senior US officials.
The meetings were held in the US Chamber of Commerce and the Department of Commerce and the American-Arab Chamber of Commerce. The event was attended by representatives of 50 American companies. During the meetings, investment opportunities in Duqm and the incentives provided by Sezad to investors were highlighted.
Yahya bin Saeed Al Jabri, Chairman, Sezad, welcomed US investments, stressing that the Authority will provide various facilities needed by US companies to invest in Duqm.
He praised the good relations between the Sultanate and the United States and the efforts of the two countries to further develop them. In various fields, especially in the economic areas, he pointed out that the free trade agreement (FTA) between the Sultanate and the United States was signed in 2006.
Steve Lutes, Vice President for Middle East Affairs at the US Chamber of Commerce, expressed his desire to strengthen relations between the Sultanate and the United States and to establish economic partnerships between American and Omani companies.
The meeting was attended by Hunaina Bint Sultan Al Mughairiya, the Sultanate's ambassador to the US.
The American Chamber of Commerce is looking forward to organising a visit to Duqm for American companies to learn more about the region and the projects being implemented there.
Seward L. Jones, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce, said that the ministry encourages American companies to invest in Duqm and establish strong relations with the business community in the Sultanate.
David Short, deputy assistant secretary of aviation and international affairs at the US Department of Transportation, highlighted the relationship between the United States and the Sultanate. He called on the companies attending the meeting organised by the US-Arab Chamber of Commerce to invest in Duqm.
He pointed out that there are many factors that support the strategic partnership between the Sultanate and the United States such as the FTA between the two countries and the open skies agreement, stressing that the infrastructure projects in Duqm are a long-term investment by the Omani people.
The promotional campaign in Washington and Houston has evoked great interest from American companies and the American business community, which stressed the need to strengthen the economic relations between the two countries.
