GENEVA – The conference is held under the theme ‘Shaping the future: Driving economic transformation for equitable, inclusive and sustainable development’.

Held every four years, the UNCTAD meet is the organisation’s highest decision-making forum. It brings together heads of state and government, ministers of trade and economy, leaders of international organizations, and representatives from the private sector and civil society to address critical global economic challenges, particularly those facing developing and least developed countries.

The outcomes of this year’s conference will shape UNCTAD’s roadmap for the next four years.
In his address to the conference, His Excellency Qais Al Yousef emphasised that the event comes at a pivotal moment in the global economy, calling for strengthened multilateral cooperation and a renewed focus on trade, investment, and technology as key enablers of inclusive and sustainable development.
He highlighted Oman Vision 2040 as the national framework guiding the Sultanate’s economic and social development, noting that Oman is steadily implementing its economic diversification strategy. Priority sectors include manufacturing, logistics, renewable energy, and the digital economy.

The Minister also stressed the importance of ensuring that the conference outcomes support developing and middle-income countries through more equitable and flexible financing and technical assistance programs, enabling them to achieve their development goals. He reaffirmed Oman’s commitment to deepening cooperation with UNCTAD in areas such as capacity building, innovation, entrepreneurship, and the development of trade and investment policies.

For his part, Ambassador Idris Al Khanjari underscored that the conference, taking place amid global economic uncertainties, presents a vital opportunity to intensify international efforts and promote multilateral cooperation to address shared challenges in a spirit of solidarity and collective responsibility, ensuring sustainable development for all nations.

On the sidelines of the conference, His Excellency Qais Al Yousef held a number of bilateral meetings with the Secretary-General of UNCTAD, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, the Director-General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and the President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, where they discussed ways to develop technical cooperation with the Sultanate of Oman.

His Excellency also met with his counterparts, ministers from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Turkey, Vietnam, and Bhutan, to discuss areas of joint cooperation and enhance economic partnerships.