MUSCAT : His Excellency Qais Al Yousef welcomed the French minister and his accompanying delegation as part of their official visit to the Sultanate of Oman. The meeting centred on deepening economic cooperation between the two friendly nations, particularly through enhanced trade exchange and increased joint investments.

Both sides underscored the importance of reactivating the free trade negotiations between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the European Union.

The ministers also reviewed key indicators of current Omani-French economic relations and explored new areas of collaboration, especially in artificial intelligence, advanced technologies and innovation-driven sectors. They discussed increased Omani participation in major economic events hosted by France, including the upcoming “Gulf Vision” forum, a significant platform for promoting mutual investment opportunities.

On the sidelines of the ministerial meeting, His Excellency Al Yousef held extensive discussions with representatives of French companies affiliated with the MEDEF organisation. The session highlighted the diverse areas in which French firms operate, ranging from modern technology and infrastructure to industry and services, while company representatives expressed strong interest in understanding the investment potential within Oman’s economic and free zones.

The meeting also covered the facilities and incentives Oman provides to foreign investors, with both sides emphasising the value of establishing continuous communication channels between Omani and French companies to explore and develop joint projects that drive sustainable economic growth.

His Excellency Al Yousef reaffirmed that Omani-French relations are witnessing positive momentum, driven by shared interest in expanding cooperation across multiple economic and investment fields. He noted that the sectors prioritised under Oman Vision 2040, from technology to advanced manufacturing, offer vast opportunities for French companies, supported by a robust legislative environment and attractive investment incentives.

Trade volume between Oman and France grew by 33.5% in the first half of this year, reaching 49 million Omani riyals. By the end of October 2025, the number of companies with French contributions in Oman rose to 207, reflecting growing investor confidence and expanding bilateral engagement.

For all the latest news from Oman and GCC, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube page, which is updated daily.