Local news

MUSCAT — Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdallah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs, received here yesterday Anne-Marie Idrac, French Minister of State for External Trade, and her delegation. They discussed bilateral relations and ways of enhancing them in various fields, besides international issues, particularly the current global economic and financial situation. The meeting was attended by ministry officials.

Ahmed bin Abdulnabi Macki, Minister of National Economy and Deputy Chairman of the Financial Affairs and Energy Resources Council, also received the French minister. The meeting covered the bilateral trade and economic co-operation. Macki said the visit reflects the historic relations between the two countries in different domains.

Macki affirmed that Oman’s financial and investment institutions are immune from being directly affected by the current global financial crisis and that the economic situation in the Sultanate is resilient. “The Omani government is going ahead with development plans, programmes and projects thanks to the wise policies pursued by the government of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos”, he added.

“Tenders for major projects will be floated shortly and the French companies may bid for them,” he noted. Macki also requested the French official to play a bigger role in expediting the free trade agreement between GCC countries and the EU as this will create a platform for broader commercial and economic co-operation.

He also pointed out that the GCC sovereign funds will continue its foreign investments with the same transparency and careful planning to achieve the economic aims. The French minister hailed Oman’s investment friendly, financial and economic policies. “The French government is taking every possible initiative to restore financial stability and protect the EU economies from the current global financial crisis,” she asserted.

The meeting was attended by Sultan bin Salim al Habsi, Under-Secretary of the Finance Ministry, and ministry officials. Meanwhile, Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, Minister of Commerce and Industry, yesterday hosted a luncheon at Grand Hyatt Muscat in honour of the French guest. It was attended by senior officials, heads of diplomatic missions and the delegation accompanying the minister.

The French minister later stated that the aim of her visit to the Sultanate is to support the bilateral trade in a bid to boost the distinguished political relations between the two friendly countries. Addressing a press conference at Grand Hyatt Muscat yesterday the minister said volume of trade exchange amounted to 378 million euros in 2007 as more than 30 French companies operate in the Sultanate in aviation, airports, water and tourism.

The visit also aimed at exploring scope of co-operation in electricity, oil and solar energy in a bid to enhance the Omani investments in particular and GCC investments in France in general, besides establishing bilateral trade partnership to increase the volume of trade exchange between Oman and France, she added.

The guest pointed out that she had discussed with the Omani government the possibility of signing the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) at the time when France chairs the EU. The discussions also dealt with enhancing co-operation in education and technical training. She said the financial crisis affects the global trade exchange in general. “Based on my visit to the Sultanate, the Omani economy is witnessing development that encourages opening new horizons of trade between the two countries”, she pointed out.

The French minister had earlier opened the Regional Office of the French Agency for International Investment in Abu Dhabi prior to her visit to the Sultanate in a bid to encourage trade exchange between France and EU and France and the GCC. The minister left the Sultanate later in the day concluding a two-day visit. She was seen off by Mohsin bin Khamis al Balushi, Adviser at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
— ONA