Haider Abdul Redha Al Lawati
The Omani-Qatari Joint Committee played a significant and tangible role in promoting investment, as well as cultural, educational and economic cooperation between the two countries. Several months after the last meeting of the committee in Doha, the two countries signed some agreements during the past weeks in Muscat for the implementation of some joint investment projects of interest to the two nations. These projects to be implemented during the coming period were welcomed by the officials in Oman and Qatar. They adopted their implementation in the wake of the working visit by His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of Qatar and his accompanying delegation to the Sultanate recently, where they conducted constructive talks with the Omani officials.
The visit was to strengthen the cooperation and integration between the GCC countries and due to the keenness of their leaderships on the development and expansion of all areas of cooperation both at the governmental levels and the private sector. The two sides signed agreements in several areas including investment, tourism, economics, environmental and cultural areas that would deepen their fraternal relations in various fields benefiting both the Omani and Qatari peoples. They would open vast and multiple horizons, including the involvement of the private sector in the two countries in cooperation in economic, trade, services and other areas.
The Omani-Qatari relations are exceptional and distinguished, predominated by the depth of trust due to the constant communication between their officials and their keenness to develop them for the better. This notion was affirmed by H E Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, the Sultanate Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs, who stressed the keenness of the leaderships of the two countries to support the progress of these relations. He welcomed the visit of H.E. the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of Qatar to Muscat during which the two countries signed several memoranda of understanding and agreements that came within the shared vision and mutual efforts to bring about stability in the region and promote the economic, social and cultural development opportunities. These steps would undoubtedly drive the march of the Renaissance, and push the younger generation of the two countries to contribute to strengthening further the relations and communications in the cultural, educational, economic, investment fields and the developmental projects.
These agreements have sure indications that the brothers in Qatar are sparing no effort in establishing economic integration in the region and in serving the interests of the two countries through joint work and effort to bring stability and peace. They would also strengthen relations between officials in the private sector of Oman and Qatar to contribute in exploiting investment opportunities in both countries. Today, there are more than 148 Omani Qatari companies or private Qatari companies, 100% registered in Oman, together with companies listed on the Muscat Securities Market. The Qatari investment in these companies is about 74%. The two countries are trying to boost foreign trade areas between them. The value of Omani exports to Qatar is about RO 200 million (US$ 520 million). The value of Omani imports from Qatar is RO 100 million (US $ 260 million). The recent agreements would increase the volume of direct Qatari investments in the Sultanate and allow greater opportunities for joint ventures. They would also provide opportunities for import and export of non-oil products directly via Omani and Qatari sea ports in the coming period. Today, there are joint Omani-Qatari projects awaiting operation soon at the Special Duqm Economic Zone, including “a project established between the Qatari Karwa and Oman Investment Fund’. It would be in a large area of about one million square meters. The primary purpose of the project was the reassembly and installation of buses providing an outlet for the two countries to access East Africa and other Asian countries inhabited by large populations, such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries.
