His Highness Sayyid Asaad heads to Malaysia to represent Oman at twin summits
Muscat : His Highness Sayyid Asaad bin Tarik Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Affairs and Special Representative of His Majesty the Sultan has left the Sultanate of Oman to Malaysia to lead the Sultanate of Oman's delegation at the GCC-ASEAN Summit and the GCC-ASEAN-China Summit.
His Highness Sayyid Asaad bin Tarik Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Affairs and Special Representative of His Majesty the Sultan, departed the country this morning, heads to friendly Malaysia to lead the Sultanate of Oman's delegation on behalf of His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik to the GCC-ASEAN Summit, and the GCC-ASEAN-People's Republic of China Summit, scheduled to be held in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, tomorrow, Tuesday.
The summit aims to enhance strategic cooperation between the GCC, ASEAN, and China, including economic, investment, political, and cultural cooperation, in addition to reviewing issues and developments of common interest to all participating countries.
His Highness Deputy Prime Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Affairs and Special Representative of His Majesty the Sultan, is accompanied by an official delegation including: His Excellency Dr. Saud bin Hamoud Al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources; His Excellency Eng. Said bin Hamoud Al Maawali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology; His Excellency Dr. Said bin Mohammed Al Saqri, Minister of Economy; His Excellency Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali Al Harthy, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs; His Excellency Ambassador Sheikh Abbas bin Ibrahim Al Harthy, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to Malaysia; His Excellency Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Badi, Secretary General of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Affairs and Personal Representative of His Majesty the Sultan; and His Excellency Saif bin Ahmed Al Sawafi, Advisor at the Office of His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Prime Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Affairs and Personal Representative of His Majesty the Sultan.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times of Oman
41 minutes ago
- Times of Oman
Omani industrial exports to Saudi Arabia increase by 28.3%
Muscat: Omani industrial exports recorded an 8.6% growth in the first quarter of 2025, reaching OMR 1.618 billion, compared to OMR 1.490 billion during the same period in 2024. According to data released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information in May 2025, Omani industrial exports have expanded significantly across various regional markets, reflecting the growing presence of Omani industries on the regional trade map. Notably, Saudi Arabia's imports of Omani industrial products surged by 28.3%, reaching OMR 259 million, reaffirming the strong economic ties between the two nations and the increasing demand for Omani goods in the Saudi market. Nusra bint Sultan Al-Habsi, Director-General of Trade at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion, highlighted that the accelerated trade exchange between Oman and Saudi Arabia is a direct result of ongoing cooperation, underscoring the deepening economic integration across various sectors. She explained that the Economic, Trade, and Industry Committee of the Omani-Saudi Coordination Council has worked consistently since its inception to address trade exchange challenges, unify customs procedures, and facilitate land transportation through border crossings. Additionally, it has focused on linking commercial systems electronically between the two countries, enabling the seamless flow of goods and services while enhancing trade movement through the Rub' Al Khali border, which has become a vital new artery for commerce between the two nations. Speaking to Oman News Agency (ONA), she revealed that the committee is currently working on various initiatives, including cooperation in intellectual property, e-commerce, anti-monopoly regulations, and export development between Oman and Saudi Arabia. Efforts are also underway to strengthen industrial and investment partnerships through regular meetings between the private sectors of both countries and the organization of joint economic forums, focusing on promising opportunities in manufacturing industries, renewable energy, supply chains, and food security. She further noted that Saudi Arabia is now Oman's second-largest GCC trade partner, with future aspirations pointing toward deeper industrial and trade integration. Oman welcomes more Saudi investments, particularly in special economic zones and free zones, which offer advanced infrastructure and competitive investment incentives, fostering greater collaboration in alignment with the strategic objectives of Oman Vision 2040 and Saudi Vision 2030. Meanwhile, Mazin bin Hamid Al-Siyabi, Assistant Director-General of Industry at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion, emphasized that recent months have witnessed growing momentum in coordination and engagement between industrial sector officials in both nations. This has been evident in a series of meetings, exchange visits, specialized workshops, and direct engagements between investors and entrepreneurs. Speaking to ONA, he stated that these efforts have expanded areas of industrial cooperation, particularly in priority sectors such as manufacturing, advanced technologies, and supply chains, while helping to identify promising investment opportunities and develop joint industrial initiatives aimed at enhancing competitiveness and localizing technical expertise, thereby reinforcing industrial integration between Oman and Saudi Arabia. He pointed out that this new dynamic in industrial relations reflects the alignment of visions between the two nations. The shared focus on industrial sector development as a pillar for economic diversification has proven to be a successful strategy, with its impact now visible in the growth of Omani industrial exports to Saudi Arabia and other regional markets. Al Siyabi concluded that the accelerated growth of Omani industrial exports in recent months serves as a tangible indicator of the success of industrial policies pursued by the ministry. These policies prioritize export market diversification, improved production efficiency, enhanced competitiveness of Omani products, and the achievement of economic diversification goals, fostering a resilient industrial base capable of adapting to global shifts.
Times of Oman
an hour ago
- Times of Oman
NCSI launches public opinion survey on employment, sports, and tourism
Muscat: The National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) will commence a public opinion survey on Sunday, focusing on employment, social protection, sports, and entertainment. The survey will run until 25 June as part of the Centre's ongoing efforts to produce accurate data that reflects societal realities and supports policy and decision-making processes. Saada bint Abdullah Al-Maawali, Director of the Information Reports Department at NCSI, stated that the survey aims to gauge Omanis' views on the labour sector and monitor trends in sports participation and recreational activities. It also seeks to evaluate public satisfaction with tourism services across the Sultanate's governorates. In a statement to the Oman News Agency (ONA), Al-Maawali explained that the survey targets Omani citizens aged 18 and above, with data to be collected via telephone interviews. She called on all selected participants to engage actively and share their views objectively, stressing that their input will directly contribute to improving and developing services provided to the public. Al-Maawali reaffirmed that all information gathered will be treated with strict confidentiality, in line with Royal Decree No. 55/2019. Article (11) of the decree stipulates that individual statistical data shall remain confidential and be used solely for statistical purposes in an aggregated format.
Times of Oman
an hour ago
- Times of Oman
Residential property prices in Oman rise by 7.3%
Muscat: Data released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) showed a 7.3 percent increase in the residential property price index in the Sultanate of Oman in the first quarter of 2025, compared to the same quarter of 2024. This increase was driven by a 6.5 percent rise in residential land prices by the end of the first quarter of 2025. Residential apartment prices also rose by 17 percent, followed by villas at 6.4 percent, while other home prices rose by 2.2 percent. The general index of residential real estate prices also recorded a 5.5 percent increase in the first quarter of 2025, compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. The residential land price index rose by 5.5 percent, while apartment prices rose by 4.3 percent and villa prices by 4.5 percent. Other housing prices also increased by 13.4 percent. At the governorate level, Muscat Governorate recorded the highest growth rate in residential land prices in the first quarter of 2025, at 17.4 percent, compared to the same quarter of 2024. Musandam Governorate followed with a 12.8 percent increase, followed by North Al Batinah Governorate with 7.3 percent, South Al Batinah Governorate with 6.1 percent, and Dhofar Governorate with 6 percent. Meanwhile, South Al Sharqiyah Governorate recorded a 3.4 percent increase. In contrast, Al Buraimi Governorate recorded a 35.1 percent decline in residential land prices, followed by Al Dhahirah Governorate with a 25.3 percent decline, then Al Wusta Governorate with a 20.4 percent decline, while Al Dakhiliyah Governorate witnessed a 3.7 percent decline, and North Al Sharqiyah Governorate saw a slight decline of 0.8 percent.
